The Osun State Government has alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) placed a restriction on one of its bank accounts less than two weeks before the August 15 governorship election, a move officials say could affect government operations.
According to documents cited by local reports, the affected account, domiciled with First Bank and reportedly used for the payment of workers’ salaries, was placed under a “Post No Debit” directive, preventing withdrawals and other debit transactions.
The reported development followed earlier claims by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the anti-graft agency was planning to freeze state government accounts and those of some senior officials in the run-up to the election.
Responding to the reported restriction, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the action as unjustified and capable of disrupting the smooth running of government activities at a critical period.
The state government maintained that there was no legal basis for the alleged action, arguing that the EFCC does not possess the statutory powers to freeze a state government’s account without due legal process.
A senior government source, who requested anonymity, also confirmed that the account had been restricted.
“The account has been placed under restriction. The governor is expected to brief the public on the matter and explain the government’s position,” the source said.
The alleged account restriction has heightened political tension ahead of the governorship election, with observers closely monitoring developments in the state.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued an official statement confirming or denying the alleged action, and the specific reason for the reported restriction had not been made public.
