EFCC vs Osun: Tinubu put democracy above politics, says Ondo attorney-general
Kayode Ajulo, attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Ondo, has commended President Bola Tinubu for directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to get a court order unfreezing the bank accounts of the Osun government.
On Wednesday, the EFCC said it froze the state government’s bank account over alleged fraudulent handling of funds.
The anti-graft agency said it had been investigating the government since March, adding that some officials, including the accountant-general, had been interviewed by its investigators.
The commission said it observed huge transfers from the accounts into different corporate entities since August 2 amid the probe.
But the Osun government rejected the allegations.
In a statement on Thursday, Kolapo Alimi, commissioner for information and public enlightenment, accused the EFCC of trying to justify what he described as an illegal action.
However, President Bola Tinubu has directed the EFCC to immediately vacate the freeze order on Osun bank accounts
Reacting in a statement, Ajulo said Tinubu’s intervention demonstrated that the president placed the country’s democratic values above partisan considerations.
“There are moments in the life of a nation when the true measure of leadership is found not in the exercise of power, but in the wisdom to restrain it,” the Ondo attorney-general said.
“This directive reflects a profound appreciation of a constitutional democracy: that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done, especially on the eve of an electoral contest.
“By placing the integrity of the democratic process above every conceivable political advantage, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed that the legitimacy of government rests not merely on authority, but on public confidence in the fairness of State institutions.
Ajulo said while strong institutions remain the bedrock of democracy, effective leadership is required to ensure their powers are exercised in a manner that inspires public confidence.
“Strong institutions are the pillars of democracy, but equally indispensable is discerning leadership that ensures their lawful exercise of power does not, however unintentionally, cast a shadow over the people’s sovereign will,” he said.
“History has often remembered those who chose constitutional prudence over partisan expediency. This intervention is a salutary reminder that the rule of law and democratic legitimacy are not competing ideals; they are complementary obligations of statesmanship.
“May this serve as yet another affirmation that Nigeria’s democracy must always be protected by justice, fairness, and fidelity to constitutional governance.