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State kicks, vows legal action
By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja
Barely ten days to the Osun governorship election, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed a “Post No Debit” restriction on one of the State Government accounts domiciled with First Bank.
The Osun state governorship election holds on saturday August 15, this year.
The affected account, it was gathered, is the one which is used for the payment of civil servants’ salaries.
It was reportedly frozen on Wednesday
The move, it will be tecalled, os coming shortly after Governor Ademola Adeleke raised the alarm alleging a coordinated plot by the anti-graft agency to paralyze state operations and freeze accounts belonging to top government functionaries.
The Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, confirmed receipt of the EFCC’s restriction letter sent to First Bank management and declared that the state will immediately challenge the action in court.
His words, “I have the mandate of the governor to proceed to the Federal High Court to challenge this move.
“EFCC can investigate the accounts, but it can’t freeze the accounts without an order of court,” Jimi-Bada stated.
“This step will affect government running, but we will challenge the move and ensure that the agency acts within the ambit of the law” he said.
Governor Adeleke, according to him, is not using state resources to fund his re-election campaign.
Speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the development as the height of lawlessness designed to cripple the administration ahead of the August 15 poll.
Also, the Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police operatives stormed the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo on Wednesday and arrested several bank staff members. Ogungbile urged the EFCC to consider the severe impact frozen salary accounts will have on the public and the general well-being of Osun residents.
“I can confirm that the state government account has been frozen by the EFCC. It is no longer an allegation. The governor will address the press shortly to update the public on the situation” a source said.
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