President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  to immediately return to court and vacate the order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.

The directive, announced in a State House statement on Thursday, comes days before the Osun State governorship election.

Tinubu said while he supports the EFCC’s statutory responsibility to investigate financial crimes, the timing of the action could create the impression of federal interference in the electoral process.

“I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” the President said.

EFCC had secured the court order on August 5 as part of an investigation into alleged financial infractions involving the Osun State Government.

According to the commission: ” its actions were lawful and not politically motivated”

The President noted that although he has consistently allowed anti-corruption agencies to operate independently, the proximity of the governorship election made it necessary to intervene in the public interest.

According to Tinubu, actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge of them. He added that he had not been fully briefed on the circumstances surrounding the EFCC’s decision but believed the timing was inappropriate.

To preserve public confidence in the electoral process, Tinubu directed the anti-graft agency to withdraw the court order and discontinue the action against the Osun State Government.

EFCC alleged that Osun state Government misappropriate funds.

While the state government has denied claims of misappropriating N11 billion, the EFCC insists its investigation is in line with its mandate to investigate suspected financial crimes.