EFCC DID WHAT THE LAW DEMANDS: PROTECT THE TREASURY TODAY SO THAT SALARIES CAN BE PAID TOMORROW – SIXT-MEDIA LANE
By: Amb Prince Sixtus Opara
In a democracy, the true test of institutions is not how loud they are praised in good times, but how firm they stand in difficult times.
The recent action by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to place a preventive hold on Osun State Government’s salary account has sparked widespread commentary.
With the Osun State Governorship Election slated for 15th August 2026 just days away, and with incumbent Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, some voices have rushed to label the action as “political” and “targeted.”
The facts, however, and the law, tell a different story.
The Mandate Is Clear: Protect Public Funds, Period:
The EFCC was not created to serve political parties. It was created by an Act of the National Assembly to investigate, prevent and prosecute economic and financial crimes and to safeguard public funds, assets and resources.
That mandate does not take a break during election season. It does not exempt sitting governors. It does not look at party colors.
In its statement, the Commission was direct:
“The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged”.
The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
That is not witch-hunting. That is prevention. That is duty.
Why Now? Because Crime Does Not Wait For Elections:
Some argue that because the election is “by the corner,” the EFCC should have waited. But should the law wait while allegations of pillage are unfolding?
A preventive freeze is exactly what it sounds like. It is a temporary, lawful step to secure funds while investigations and due process run their course. It is not a conviction. It is not a seizure. It is a safeguard.
To delay action because of politics would itself be political. To act because the law demands it is to be “unbiased”.
*The Law Has No Party
Suggestions that the EFCC is “working for APC” to target Governor Adeleke miss the central point of the Commission’s existence.
The EFCC answers to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not to any political party at the center or in the states. Its officers are bound by oath, not by partisanship.
If the account in question were that of an APC state, a PDP state, or an Accord state, the same preventive action would apply.
The law is blind to party logos. It only sees public money.
That is why the Commission urged the public to “disregard false narratives and attempts to demonise the Commission’s work.”
Elections and Accountability Can Co-exist:
A free and fair election on August 15th and the protection of Osun workers’ salaries and public funds are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they reinforce each other.
Osun people deserve an election that is free of financial manipulation, and they also deserve assurance that the resources meant for salaries, healthcare, and development are protected.
By acting now, EFCC is ensuring that no one incumbent or challenger can use public funds as a campaign tool. That protects democracy, not undermines it.
The Bigger Picture: Strengthening Public Trust:
Nigerians have for too long watched public accounts drained with impunity, only for commissions to act after the damage is done.
This preventive action signals a new standard: EFCC will act early, act lawfully, and act without fear or favor.
Governor Adeleke and the Osun State Government retain every right to engage the Commission, provide explanations, and seek judicial redress. That is also democracy. But the Commission also has the right and the duty to act when red flags appear.
In Conclusion: Let us Stand With The Law, Let us not reduce a constitutional institution to political talking points.
The EFCC is not APC. The EFCC is not Accord. The EFCC is Nigeria.
Its job is to ensure that whether it is election season or not, public funds remain public.
The Osun State account was frozen to save public funds from being looted. That is the beginning and end of it.
Nigerians should support an EFCC that chooses the hard right over the easy wrong.
An EFCC that protects the treasury today so that salaries can be paid tomorrow.
That is not bias. That is patriotism.
Amb Prince Sixtus Opara, Publisher / Media Consultant, Public Affairs Analyst, Filmmaker, Defence / Police Correspondence, Principal/CEO Sixt-Media Lane Consult Ltd, the Publishers of sixtmedialane.com online leading Newspapers, writes from Abuja- Nigeria. +2349077706166 and +2348036562634.
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