Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has publicly accused former governor Gboyega Oyetola of orchestrating actions that led to the freezing of the state's bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This statement comes in the wake of an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of approximately N11 billion in state funds.

In an interview aired on Channels Television, Adeleke clarified that President Bola Tinubu was not aware of the EFCC's actions, which he believes were influenced by Oyetola, who is also Tinubu's cousin. The EFCC had frozen the account earlier this month as part of its investigation, citing suspicious movements of funds. To address the situation, President Tinubu has reportedly instructed the EFCC to seek a court order to lift the freeze, expressing concerns that the timing of these actions could be perceived as an attempt to interfere with the electoral process.

Adeleke emphasized that the President has numerous responsibilities and was not informed about the ongoing investigation. "The President is not aware of most of these matters. He has numerous foreign responsibilities and tasks to attend to," he stated. He also mentioned that some of his aides had been summoned for questioning by the EFCC but were released without any evidence of wrongdoing.

The governor defended his aides' cooperation with the EFCC, insisting that they had nothing to hide. "I told my people, go there. We haven't got anything to hide. And when they go there, they ask them questions, and then they will say, 'go on.' Can you imagine my spokesperson? You are inviting my spokesperson - is my spokesperson a finance minister or accountant?" he questioned.

Adeleke further claimed that Oyetola's influence was evident in the situation, stating, "All these things is Oyetola because he is the cousin to the President. He is dropping the President's name. I know that the President didn't know about the EFCC one. That is why he had to call me and stop it."

In the recent governorship election, Adeleke secured re-election with 511,067 votes, defeating Oyetola's successor, Bola Oyebamiji, who garnered 444,815 votes. The election saw Adeleke winning in 19 out of 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji claimed victory in 11. This backdrop of political rivalry adds further tension to the ongoing investigations and allegations surrounding the state’s financial management.