…Defends EFCC Over Osun Account Freeze

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the controversy surrounding the freezing and subsequent unfreezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts, declaring that the President—not the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)—should resign over what he described as executive interference in the rule of law.

Responding to calls by some political actors for the removal of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, the SDP flag bearer rejected the demand, insisting that the anti-graft agency was only carrying out its statutory responsibilities.

“The person who should resign is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I don’t have enough evidence to suggest that the EFCC chairman should resign. The only person who is at fault here is the President himself,” Adebayo said.

The opposition presidential hopeful argued that while the EFCC has legal authority to obtain court orders freezing accounts under investigation, it is unconstitutional for the President to publicly direct the agency to reverse such actions.

Adebayo maintained that any party aggrieved by the freezing of an account has adequate legal remedies through the courts rather than executive intervention.

“If EFCC wrongly froze the account of the Osun State Government, there are legal remedies… The Attorney General of Osun State could have gone to court. The President ordering the EFCC is already an impeachable offence because EFCC is part of the legal process in Nigeria,” he said.

The SDP candidate said he has consistently defended law enforcement institutions, including the police, the EFCC, the Department of State Services and the Armed Forces, despite occasionally challenging their actions in court.

“I’ve always supported law enforcement… We do not antagonise law enforcement agencies even when they make errors; we know how to deal with them legally,” Adebayo stated.

He insisted that the EFCC should be empowered to investigate anyone, including the Presidency, without political interference.

“I also hope they will freeze the account of the Villa if the law requires it… When we come to the government, the EFCC chairman will not be disturbed. He will be free to act within the law,” Adebayo added.

Turning to President Tinubu’s broader handling of national affairs, the SDP presidential candidate accused the administration of creating constitutional crises and undermining democratic institutions.

He also criticised the President’s recent interaction with Catholic bishops, saying Tinubu failed to appreciate constructive criticism from respected national religious leaders.

According to Adebayo, the President should have treated their visit as an opportunity for honest reflection rather than political defensiveness.

On the growing debate over opposition coalitions ahead of the 2027 general election, he dismissed arguments over whether political parties should unite behind a single candidate, saying Nigeria’s Constitution already provides for only one President at a time.

“What we want is for all Nigerians to unite—not only the opposition. On May 29, 2027, one person will take the oath of office. The issue is ensuring that person is not President Tinubu,” Adebayo said.

He concluded by accusing the Tinubu administration of poor leadership and policy inconsistency, arguing that the country’s greatest challenge is no longer isolated governance failures but what he described as a pattern of worsening crises compounded by weak official explanations.

“A failed government is one in which the explanation is worse than the problem,” Adebayo declared, urging Nigerians across party lines to work towards a change of leadership in 2027.