Osun account freezing: Selective, political deployment of state institutions diminishes public trust

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has warned that democracy cannot survive if state institutions are used to target political opponents.
Atiku made the remark while reacting to the freezing of the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just days before the state’s governorship election.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the action as a dangerous attack on democracy and questioned the timing of the move.

“Freezing the state’s main operational account just days before the governorship election could disrupt governance and erode public confidence in the credibility of the electoral process,” Atiku said.

Atiku said freezing a state’s principal operational account on the eve of a governorship election could disrupt governance, delay the payment of salaries, affect essential public services and create an atmosphere of intimidation that has no place in a democratic society.

Atiku maintained that if there were genuine concerns requiring investigation, the law already provides the necessary procedures and warned anti-corruption agencies against actions that could create the impression of political interference.

“If there are legitimate concerns requiring investigation, the law provides due process. Anti-corruption agencies must not conduct themselves in a manner that creates the perception that they are being deployed to influence political outcomes or weaken elected governments at critical electoral moments,” he said.

The former Vice President stressed that democracy depends not only on free and fair elections but also on public confidence that government institutions operate independently and professionally.

“The selective and politically convenient deployment of state institutions diminishes public trust and weakens the democratic order. Institutions established to enforce the law must never become instruments for creating fear or conferring political advantage,” he added.

Atiku also linked the development to what he described as a pattern of actions against opposition-controlled states under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, citing the earlier withholding of statutory local government allocations to Osun State.

He argued that freezing the state’s allocation account would ultimately hurt ordinary residents by affecting salaries, public services and day-to-day governance.

Atiku called on all institutions involved in the Osun governorship election to remain impartial and uphold the Constitution, insisting that the people of the state alone should decide the outcome of the election.

He also urged opposition parties and Nigerians to defend democracy against what he described as the growing use of state institutions for political purposes.