EXCLUSIVE: How Seyi, Davido, others influenced Tinubu’s decision to override EFCC’s freezing of Osun Govt’s account
The decision by President Bola Tinubu to on Thursday veto the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) freezing of Osun State Government account may not have happened without some behind-the-scene pulling of strings, NewsClick Nigeria can authoritatively report.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had on Wednesday confirmed that it froze the State Government’s bank account over the alleged fraudulent handling of ₦11 billion in ecological and intervention funds.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency said it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March over the alleged mismanagement of the funds.
According to the Commission, several state officials, including the Accountant-General, have been questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.
The EFCC said it observed large transfers from the government’s account to various corporate entities beginning on August 2, prompting the decision to freeze the account.
It therefore said it cannot watch idly while the state government account is being pillaged hence the decision to freeze the account.
The commission said the impending Osun governorship election should not prevent it from carrying out its statutory responsibilities, insisting that the timing of the poll could not justify ignoring suspicious financial transactions.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved.
“The EFCC’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources.
“The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged,” the statement read in part.
The commission said the impending Osun governorship election should not prevent it from carrying out its statutory responsibilities, insisting that the timing of the poll could not justify ignoring suspicious financial transactions.
But the state governor, Ademola Adeleke condemned the action, saying the state would not tolerate federal agencies violating the rights of subnational governments.
The governor alleged that his administration had faced several coordinated attacks, including the harassment of Accord Party members and attempts to disrupt the operations of local government councils in the state.
Adeleke added that he had instructed the state Attorney-General to challenge what he described as the “illegality” of the EFCC’s action.
Davido’s loud statements and Seyi’s silent moves
However, one voice that has refused to back down in all of the political drama in the state is that of award winning afrobeats star, and nephew of the incumbent, David Adeleke, globally known as Davido.
Governor Ademola is the younger brother of Davido’s father, Dr. Deji Adeleke, making Governor Ademola the singer’s biological uncle.
Davido maintains a very close personal and public relationship with his uncle, frequently supporting him on the campaign trail and serving as the Chairman of the Imole Youth Mobilisation Committee for his re-election campaign.
The singer also maintains robust public relationship with the creme-dela-creme of the nation’s political class including President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, who is reported to have a strong influence on most of his father’s decision in office as president.
“Aside those social media posts concerning developments in Osun, Davido also said to have personally reached out to Seyi to prevail on his dad to intervene,” a close to the Adeleke’s and Osun State Government confided in NewsClick Nigeria.
He recently held a press conference urging some political actors outside of the state to allow residents vote for their choice. He also frequently shares all the political developments as regards the forthcoming August 15 governorship election on his heavily followed social media accounts.
But most importantly, NewsClick Nigeria gathered that Davido
Recall that the president had
Findings by NewsClick Nigeria has revealed how behind-the-scene pulling of strings have
