Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oba Maduabuchi, has maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no legal authority to direct or control the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stressing that the anti-corruption agency must operate independently in line with its statutory mandate.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television, Maduabuchi addressed the controversy surrounding the EFCC’s freezing of the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account and the President’s subsequent directive ordering that the restriction be lifted.
According to the senior lawyer, although the President may express concerns about the timing of the EFCC’s actions, he cannot lawfully interfere with or dictate how the commission carries out its investigations.
“The President does not have the power under any law to control the EFCC,” Maduabuchi said.
He added that the EFCC was established to investigate corruption at all levels of government, including within the executive arm, and therefore must remain free from political influence.
“The EFCC is supposed to be the dogs that fight corruption, including corruption from the executive, and it will be wrong if the person you are supposed to chase has the power to direct you and do it publicly,” he stated.
However, Maduabuchi noted that President Tinubu’s intervention did not seek to halt the investigation but focused solely on the timing of the account freeze.
“The President spoke on the timing; he never asked the EFCC not to investigate, and he said the way it was done was wrong. They can unfreeze the account now and continue after the elections,” he explained.
The legal practitioner argued that, considering the political climate ahead of the Osun State governorship election, the President’s concern over the timing of the action was understandable.
“Given the circumstances, it was very necessary for the President to come into the Osun-EFCC matter,” he added.
The controversy arose after the EFCC froze the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account as part of an investigation into the alleged management of public funds. The move attracted criticism from the state government and opposition figures, who described it as politically motivated.
President Tinubu subsequently directed that the account be unfrozen, stating that while anti-corruption investigations should continue in accordance with the law, the timing of the action raised concerns.
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