Kenneth Okonkwo EFCC order sparks debate as the ADC chieftain questions the independence of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies
African Democratic Congress, ADC, chieftain and constitutional lawyer Kenneth Okonkwo has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to unfreeze the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, arguing that the move raises serious concerns about the independence of Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions.
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Okonkwo made the remarks in a post published on his verified X account on Friday, shortly after the Presidency confirmed that Tinubu had instructed the EFCC to vacate the court order freezing the Osun State Government’s accounts.
The controversy began after the EFCC froze the accounts days before the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, citing suspicious financial transactions.
The action immediately generated political reactions, with opposition figures and civil society groups questioning both the timing of the decision and its potential impact on the electoral process.
Responding to the President’s intervention, Okonkwo described the directive as “morally understandable” but maintained that it was legally questionable.
“Even though the order from President Tinubu to the EFCC to unfreeze the Osun State account might seem morally reasonable, it is not legally correct,” he wrote.
The former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson argued that the incident reinforced long-standing concerns about executive influence over agencies established by law to operate independently.
According to Okonkwo, the President’s public intervention suggested that institutions such as the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, lacked operational independence under the current administration.
“The directive has shown the world what every Nigerian already knows, that Tinubu is someone who repeatedly uses corruption and independent agencies to unfairly target and harass his political opponents,” he stated.
Okonkwo further referenced recent comments by John Cardinal Onaiyekan, who had urged the President to pay closer attention to the realities facing Nigerians, arguing that the Osun account controversy appeared to validate concerns that advisers around the President were not presenting an accurate picture of national affairs.
He also pointed to other recent developments, including Tinubu’s remarks on the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and his directive to the ICPC to investigate Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, claiming they collectively reflected a pattern of presidential involvement in matters concerning agencies expected to function independently.
“These show that none of our federal institutions is independent under Tinubu. Eternal vigilance is the only way to stop Tinubu from interfering in the actions of the ‘independent’ institutions,” Okonkwo said.
He concluded by arguing that the rule of law had been weakened under the current administration and called for political change during the 2027 general elections.
The Presidency has defended Tinubu’s decision, explaining that the President acted after becoming aware of the circumstances surrounding the account freeze.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the directive was intended to ensure due process and prevent actions capable of undermining democratic governance ahead of the Osun governorship election.
The EFCC had earlier maintained that its decision to freeze the accounts followed intelligence indicating suspicious transactions. However, the commission has yet to publicly respond to Okonkwo’s latest comments regarding its institutional independence.
The latest exchange adds to growing political debate over the balance between executive authority and the operational autonomy of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
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The issue has become increasingly prominent as political parties intensify preparations for both the Osun governorship election and the 2027 general elections.
