Justice or Politics? The Questions Surrounding EFCC’s Osun Freeze

 

By Oluwatosin Babatunde

 

No serious Nigerian will argue against the fight against corruption. Public money must be protected, and anyone who steals from the commonwealth should face the full weight of the law. But the fight against corruption cannot itself become a source of anxiety for democracy.

That is why the EFCC’s decision to freeze the accounts of the Osun State Government deserves more than applause. It deserves scrutiny.

The Commission says it is investigating the alleged diversion of public funds and acted to stop suspicious movements of money. If that is the case, then the investigation should continue without fear or favour. But investigations must not create the impression that an elected government has already been convicted in the court of public opinion.

The timing of this action is impossible to ignore. Osun is only days away from a governorship election. Whether the EFCC intended it or not, freezing the financial lifeline of a sitting government at such a politically sensitive moment was bound to provoke controversy. Public institutions must always remember that perception matters. Credibility is built not only on legality but also on public confidence.

There is another side to this matter that deserves equal attention. A government account is not the private wallet of a governor. It is the account from which workers are paid, hospitals are funded, schools operate and social programmes are sustained. Any action that disrupts those responsibilities ultimately affects ordinary citizens who have committed no offence.

This is not an argument against investigation. It is an argument for restraint, due process and institutional wisdom.

The EFCC has enormous powers under the law. With such powers comes an even greater responsibility to act in a way that leaves no room for allegations of political bias or selective enforcement. In a democracy, institutions must not only be independent; they must also be seen to be independent.

The Commission says other states are also under investigation. That may well be true. But Nigerians judge institutions by what they see, not by what they are told. Every controversial action chips away at public trust, especially when it comes at a politically charged moment.

Our democracy is still evolving. It cannot afford institutions whose actions become as controversial as the misconduct they seek to expose. The anti-corruption war is too important to be weakened by avoidable questions about timing and fairness.

If there is evidence that public funds were unlawfully moved, let the courts determine the legal consequences. If anyone has broken the law, let justice take its course. But justice must never appear hurried by politics or overshadowed by the electoral calendar.

The EFCC has a constitutional duty to protect public resources. It also has a democratic obligation to exercise its powers with caution, fairness and transparency. Those two responsibilities are not in conflict. They are complementary.

History will not only remember whether institutions fought corruption. It will also remember whether, in doing so, they strengthened democracy or unintentionally weakened it.

That is the question the EFCC must answer—not only to the people of Osun, but to all Nigerians.

Oluwatosin Babatunde is a social commentator, journalist and advocate of good governance. He can be reached via babatosin247@gmail.com.