POWER PLAY IN ASO ROCK OVER OSUN POLLS

…How Voices of Reason Overwhelmed the Hawks, Prompted Tinubu to Call Off EFCC Action

By Jeremy Fregene
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s dramatic intervention ordering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the Osun State Government’s accounts followed an intense behind-the-scenes power struggle inside the Presidential Villa, KTH Daily has learnt.

Multiple Presidency sources disclosed that while some influential figures within Aso Rock urged the President to allow the anti-graft agency’s action to stand, another camp, described by insiders as the “voices of reason”, successfully argued that the move would hand Governor Ademola Adeleke and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) an unnecessary political advantage barely days before the August 15 governorship election.

In the end, President Tinubu sided with the moderates.

The President subsequently directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order placed on the Osun Government’s statutory allocation account, insisting that nothing should be done to create the impression that federal institutions were being deployed to influence the forthcoming election.

Presidency insiders told KTH Daily that contrary to widespread speculation, the EFCC did not act on any presidential directive.

“I can tell you with full certainty that the EFCC acted on their own. There was no directive from here,” one senior Presidency official said.

“Why they did what they did is up to them, and I think they believed they were acting within their statutory powers.”

The source disclosed that the development immediately triggered sharp disagreements within the Presidency.

“Some people here were very pleased with the decision and advised the President to leave things as they were.

“But some of us disagreed, and from the very beginning, the President appeared more persuaded by our own position.”

According to the official, those opposed to the freezing of the accounts argued that the ruling APC had no electoral need for such a controversial development.

“Our argument was simple. As far as we are concerned, there is no way APC is going to lose Osun.

“A lot of work has been done from the grassroots upwards, and we believe it is going to be a landslide.

“So why create sympathy for our opponents? Nigerians naturally sympathise with the underdog, and that could generate a powerful but totally unnecessary backlash against us.”

The source questioned the timing of the anti-graft agency’s action.

“If there was any intention to move public funds, that could have happened long before now. Why take this action only days before the election?”

Presidency insiders said another major consideration was the potential security implications of allowing the controversy to escalate.

“We urged the President to take a holistic view of the matter, particularly from the national security angle, which ultimately falls within his constitutional responsibility.

“Our position was that once the election is over and a new administration comes in, if there are genuine concerns about protecting public funds, appropriate enforcement action can still be taken.

“But at this stage, national security comes first. You must first have a peaceful and secure Osun before you can even begin to discuss corruption or corporate governance.”

According to the source, the President required very little persuasion.

“Fortunately, we didn’t have to do too much talking because, right from the outset, it was obvious he wasn’t comfortable with the timing of the action.

“He eventually gave the directive because preserving peace and confidence in the electoral process became the overriding consideration.”

In a statement personally signed on Thursday, President Tinubu acknowledged that although the EFCC was exercising powers granted to it by law, the timing of the action was inappropriate.

“I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore, I feel compelled to intervene,” the President stated.

He stressed that while his administration remained committed to the operational independence of anti-corruption agencies, no federal institution should create the impression that it was being used to influence the outcome of an election.

“Nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the Federal Government is being used to interfere with the election,” he said.

The President therefore directed the commission to immediately proceed to court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue its action against the Osun State Government.

KTH Daily also learnt that shortly after issuing the directive, President Tinubu personally telephoned Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Highly placed sources said the President assured the Osun governor that the Federal Government remained committed to providing a level playing field for all political parties and candidates in the August 15 governorship election, while reaffirming that the integrity and credibility of the electoral process would be protected.

The EFCC, however, maintained that its action was lawful.

Speaking on Arise Television, the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, insisted that the agency acted within the powers conferred on it by the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

He explained that the commission has statutory authority to impose a temporary restriction on suspicious bank accounts for up to 72 hours before obtaining a court order where necessary.

Uwujaren said the restriction affected only one statutory allocation account and did not completely prevent the Osun State Government from carrying out its financial obligations through other accounts.

He also disclosed that the commission adopted a similar approach during the 2024 Edo governorship election, saying the action prevented the diversion of about N12 billion, which later became available to the incoming administration.

He added that no similar intervention was required during the recent Ekiti governorship election because the commission found no suspicious movement of public funds.

The latest intervention by President Tinubu is expected to significantly ease political tension in Osun, where the freezing of the state’s accounts had triggered accusations of political intimidation and raised concerns over the credibility of the forthcoming governorship poll.