The Accord Party has commended President Bola Tinubu for directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to unfreeze the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, while demanding the immediate resignation of the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
The party said that if the EFCC chairman failed to resign, Tinubu should sack him to restore the integrity of the anti-graft agency.
The National Chairman of Accord, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, made the demands on Friday at a world press conference held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Mgbudem said the party welcomed Tinubu’s intervention following the EFCC’s directive to freeze the state government’s accounts, describing the President’s action as timely.
He said, “Accord welcomes President Tinubu’s timely intervention in this critical national issue and urges security agencies, anti-graft commissions, the electoral umpire and relevant democratic institutions to strictly abide by their rules of engagement, statutory duties and democratic ethics.”
The party chairman said Accord had lost confidence in the leadership of the EFCC, alleging that the commission had demonstrated partisanship in the politics of Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He said, “Having demonstrated unprecedented partisanship in Osun State politics, assaulted the sensibilities of fellow compatriots and brought the nation to ridicule and disrepute before the international community, Accord has lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC.
“Accordingly, Accord demands the immediate resignation of the EFCC chairman. For embarrassing the President, the party, the government and people of Osun State, and fellow citizens, 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 there should be no “sacred cow” in efforts to sanitise the anti-corruption agency and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system.
The party also urged security agencies and other institutions involved in the Osun election to remain impartial and operate within the law.
“Electoral contest is not warfare. It should not be militarised by deploying federal apparatus to suppress, subdue and oppress political opponents and their supporters to favour a party that has been rejected by the people,” he said.
Mgbudem called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election, urging the commission to ensure that electoral materials were adequately tested ahead of the poll.
He also called on election observers, civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, the media, development partners and opposition parties to speak out against actions capable of undermining the credibility of the election.
The Accord chairman urged security agencies to remain professional and impartial, saying their responsibility was to protect lives and provide a secure environment for voters rather than influence the electoral process.
He further appealed to Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to release the remaining 60 Accord members whom the party claimed were being detained in Abuja, Osun and Nasarawa states.
Mgbudem said the release of the detainees would help reduce political tension ahead of the election.
He also urged Osun residents to come out on August 15 and vote, saying every vote must be counted and reflected in the final result.
There was an outcry on Wednesday after the EFCC froze the statutory accounts of the Osun State Government.
The commission defended the move, insisting that its actions were within the law and that it had the authority to place restrictions on accounts suspected to be linked to financial crimes.
The anti-graft agency also stated that it could freeze accounts for 72 hours without a court order before seeking judicial approval for further restrictions.
Tinubu, however, said actions taken by federal institutions were often attributed to him as President, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge of them.
He directed the EFCC to return to court and vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.