Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to publicly explain the decision to freeze the state government’s bank accounts.

Speaking with journalists at the Government House in Osogbo on Wednesday, Adeleke described the action as unlawful, insisting that it was carried out without a court order and posed a threat to democratic governance.

The governor argued that federal agencies should not infringe on the constitutional rights of state governments, warning that such actions could undermine the rule of law if left unchallenged.

He maintained that the state government had not been presented with any legal justification for the account freeze and announced plans to challenge the decision at the Federal High Court in Osogbo through the state’s Attorney General.

Responding to questions from journalists, Adeleke disclosed that several officials of his administration had previously honoured invitations from the EFCC and were cleared by the anti-graft agency before the accounts were frozen.

Earlier, the Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), confirmed that he had been directed by the governor to institute legal proceedings against the EFCC.

According to Jimi-Bada, the state received a “Post No Debit” directive sent by the EFCC to First Bank, where the government’s accounts are domiciled. He argued that while the commission has the authority to investigate financial transactions, it cannot legally freeze government accounts without obtaining a court order.

He warned that the action could disrupt government operations but expressed confidence that the courts would determine the legality of the commission’s decision.

The Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, also criticised the development, alleging that police officers visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some members of staff. He insisted that state funds were not being used for political campaigns and urged the EFCC to consider the impact of the account freeze on governance and public service delivery.

Prior to the action, Adeleke had raised concerns over an alleged plan by the EFCC to freeze all state government accounts as well as those belonging to top government officials.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor claimed the move was intended to disrupt government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

Adeleke maintained that there was no legal basis for freezing the state’s accounts and insisted that the EFCC lacked the authority to take such action without following due legal process.