Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Isaac Fayose, the younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, has launched a blistering attack on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over its decision to freeze the Osun State Government's account, describing the action as a "joke taken too far" and accusing the anti-graft agency of political bias and selective enforcement. Fayose made the remarks in a video posted on his verified Facebook page on Thursday, August 6, 2026, just hours after the EFCC placed a "Post No Debit" restriction on the state's statutory allocation account with First Bank, barring all withdrawals as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged N11 billion fraud.
Fayose questioned why the EFCC had not taken similar action during the June 2026 governorship election in Ekiti State, which was won by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Biodun Oyebanji. "How can you freeze a whole state government's account? Why didn't you freeze Ekiti state government's account last month in June during their own governorship election? Why did you allow Ekiti to buy vote?" he asked. He accused the commission of applying different standards depending on which political party controls a state, alleging that governments aligned with the Federal Government were spared similar scrutiny while Osun was being targeted just days before its August 15 governorship election.
The EFCC had on Wednesday, August 5, directed First Bank to place the restriction on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation account, pending the conclusion of an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of about N11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federal Account Allocation Committee allocations. The commission said it had been investigating the state government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent handling of the funds, and that the freeze was prompted by suspicious movement of funds from the government's accounts detected from August 2, 2026. The EFCC insisted that its action was not politically motivated despite the timing ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Fayose, however, dismissed the EFCC's explanation, describing the freeze as an overreach that could stifle governance and affect the payment of salaries, public services, and other government obligations. "Freezing the account of an entire state government is an overreach that stifles governance," he said, adding that anti-corruption investigations should focus on individuals or specific transactions rather than measures capable of affecting the day-to-day administration of a state. "How can you freeze a whole state account, putting about four million people into nonsense?" he asked, referring to the population of Osun State.
The social commentator also warned that the EFCC's action, coming just days before the Osun election, was part of a broader pattern of coordinated attacks on democracy that could have grave implications for the 2027 general election. "These people will come back if you keep quiet," he said. "The more you keep quiet, the more they do it." He called on Nigerians to demand the resignation of both the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the EFCC leadership if they wanted the situation to change, alleging that some political actors were already laying the groundwork to influence future elections.
The controversy has drawn widespread reactions from legal stakeholders and political figures. The Nigerian Bar Association president, Afam Osigwe, warned that restricting withdrawals from a state government's accounts without an express court order could effectively cripple governance and amount to an abuse of power. Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, has also demanded an explanation from the EFCC chairman, calling the freeze illegal since it was carried out without a court order. The governor said he had instructed his Attorney General to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
The EFCC, however, has defended its decision, insisting that the action is lawful and not politically motivated. The commission maintained that the temporary restriction was imposed in line with its investigative powers under the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, stating that the measure was aimed solely at preserving public funds pending the conclusion of its investigation. As the Osun governorship election draws nearer, the freeze on the state's account has added a new and potentially explosive dimension to an already charged political atmosphere. For Fayose, the message is clear: the EFCC's action is a dangerous precedent that threatens the very foundations of Nigeria's democracy, and Nigerians must speak out before it is too late.
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