Accord Party on Friday demanded the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the freezing of the Osun State Government’s bank account.
AP argued that EFCC’s action against the Osun State Government undermined democracy and brought the anti-graft agency into disrepute.
The party said if the EFCC chairman failed to resign, President Bola Tinubu should remove him from office to restore public confidence in the commission.
AP National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, who stated this while addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Friday, commended President Tinubu for ordering the anti-graft agency to immediately unfreeze the state’s account.
Mgbudem alleged that the EFCC acted outside its constitutional powers by freezing the account ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
“The EFCC chairman should toe the path of honour and tender his resignation. If he fails to resign, President Tinubu should sack him immediately to restore the integrity of the anti-graft agency,” Mgbudem said.
EFCC had on Wednesday directed banks to freeze the Osun State Government’s accounts over an ongoing investigation, a move that sparked widespread criticism from the state government and opposition parties, who described it as politically motivated and capable of crippling governance just days before the governorship election.
Osun State Government condemned the action, insisting it was unlawful and aimed at destabilising Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.
The state government subsequently appealed to President Tinubu to intervene.
Presidency later announced that Tinubu had ordered the immediate reversal of the directive, describing the development as embarrassing and stressing that the state’s accounts should be unfrozen to ensure uninterrupted governance.
Reacting to the President’s intervention, the Accord Party said Tinubu’s decision helped prevent a constitutional crisis, urging security agencies, anti-graft bodies and other democratic institutions to remain neutral during the election.
AP also alleged harassment, intimidation and arrest of its members in Osun State, appealing to the President and the Inspector-General of Police to secure the release of about 60 of its supporters reportedly detained in Abuja, Osun and Nasarawa states.
Accord Party further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to ensure a free, fair and peaceful governorship election on August 15.
