Osun State Gov. Ademola Adeleke has directed the state Attorney General to withdraw the lawsuit filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the freezing of the state government’s bank account. Adeleke said the decision followed an intervention by President Bola Tinubu.
The governor disclosed the decision during an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, shortly after he was declared the winner of the Aug. 15 Osun governorship election. Adeleke said he had decided to put the dispute behind him after speaking with Tinubu.
“I’m putting them behind. What else do I want? I have instructed my Attorney General to drop it. Mr. President has done well. He called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.
The dispute began after the EFCC placed a restriction on an Osun government account as part of an investigation into the alleged handling of about 11 billion naira in Ecology Funds, intervention funds and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee. The commission said it was investigating suspicious movement of funds from the account.
The Osun government had challenged the EFCC’s action at the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing the restriction as unlawful and politically motivated. The suit, filed Aug. 5, sought an order to overturn the restriction and included a claim for 2 billion naira in damages against the commission.
Adeleke had previously argued that freezing the account could disrupt the activities of the state government. He also alleged that political interests were behind the EFCC action, although he maintained that Tinubu may not have been aware of what was happening when the account was restricted.
According to Adeleke, Tinubu’s intervention changed the situation and gave him reason to end the legal battle. The governor said he believed the president had not been aware of the EFCC’s action and praised him for intervening after the matter was brought to his attention.
The development comes shortly after Adeleke secured a second term as Osun governor. His decision to withdraw the case could ease tensions between the state government and the federal anti corruption agency as he begins another term in office.
For now, the governor has chosen to move beyond the dispute, while the EFCC’s investigation into the funds remains an important part of the broader controversy. Adeleke has also said he is willing to cooperate with the commission, including assisting officials and aides who have been invited for questioning.
