Adeleke withdraws EFCC suit, says Tinubu intervention settled matter

File photo: Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has said he has directed the state Attorney-General to withdraw the suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the freezing of the state government’s account, following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.

Adeleke stated this in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday,  after he was declared winner of the Osun State governorship election, adding that he was no longer interested in pursuing the matter against the anti-graft agency.

The governor said Tinubu had personally intervened in the matter and that he saw no reason to continue with the legal action.

“What else do I want? I’ve instructed my Attorney General to drop it. Mr President has done well; he called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.

The EFCC had placed a Post No Debit restriction on a state government account amid an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of about N11bn in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations.

The commission said the restriction followed what it described as “precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds” from the account into various corporate entities.

Adeleke had rejected the action and directed the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to challenge the restriction in court, describing it as illegal and politically motivated.

Speaking on allegations that some of his supporters remained in EFCC custody, Adeleke said his lawyers were engaging with the agency.

“Well, we are… we’ve been talking, I’ve been calling all my lawyers to go there,” he said.

He also questioned the invitation of some of his aides by the EFCC, particularly his spokesperson.

• 2027: Why I’m supporting Tinubu for re-election — Adeleke
• Osun poll: Your strides paid off, NGF hails Adeleke’s re-election
• Osun poll: ADC candidate congratulates Adeleke, says democracy has prevailed

“Can you imagine my spokesperson? You are inviting my spokesperson to EFCC. Is my spokesperson a finance minister or accountant? So I told him, ‘Go,’” he said.

Adeleke said his aides complied with the invitations because they had nothing to hide.

The governor also said he was not considering returning to the All Progressives Congress, despite his renewed support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Asked whether he could return to the APC, Adeleke said, “As I’m talking to you right now, I’m not even thinking about that.”

He, however, stressed that his decision not to return to the APC would not prevent him from supporting Tinubu.

“So, but that doesn’t mean that I cannot say support… Mr President,” he said.

Adeleke, who previously contested elections under the APC before moving to the Peoples Democratic Party and later the Accord Party, said his support for Tinubu was separate from his party affiliation.

The governor also alleged that some individuals had been invoking Tinubu’s name in connection with the EFCC matter without the President’s knowledge.

The governor’s comments came after he defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s governorship election to secure a second term.

Adeleke polled 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815, according to the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.