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.
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 organizations, 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.
