Accord accuses EFCC of election interference, urges FG not to militarise Osun governorship poll

The Accord Party has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of interfering in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election and called for the resignation of the commission’s chairman.

Speaking during a world press conference in Abuja on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, said the demand followed the EFCC’s decision—later reversed—to freeze the Osun State Government’s bank account.

According to him, the action deepened concerns about the neutrality of federal institutions ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

“Having demonstrated unprecedented partisanship in the Osun State politics, assaulted the sensibilities of fellow compatriots and brought the nation to ridicule and disrepute before the international community, Accord has lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC,” Mgbudem said.

The party urged the EFCC chairman to resign immediately, warning that President Bola Tinubu should remove him from office if he declined to step down.

“Accordingly, Accord demands the immediate resignation of the EFCC chairman. For embarrassing the President, the Party, the Government and people of Osun State and fellow citizens. The EFCC chairman should toe the path of honour and tender his resignation. If he fails to resign, President Tinubu should sack him immediately to restore the integrity of the anti-graft agency,” he stated.

Mgbudem alleged that Accord members and supporters had been subjected to intimidation, harassment, arrests and attacks in the months leading to the election.

He also claimed that party offices, the Imole Campaign Council office and campaign billboards were targeted by suspected APC-linked thugs, despite reports made to security agencies.

While acknowledging the deployment of a new Commissioner of Police to Osun, the Accord chairman argued that the EFCC’s intervention further escalated political tensions.

“EFCC joined the Osun political fray hoping to succeed where the earlier compromised State Police Command failed by deliberately turning the law upside down to justify its unconstitutional action that threatened the foundations of the country’s emerging democracy,” he alleged.

Mgbudem, however, praised President Tinubu for directing the reversal of the account freeze after appeals from the Osun State Government, Accord and other concerned Nigerians.

“Accord welcomes President Tinubu’s timely intervention in this critical national issue and urges security agencies, anti-graft commissions, electoral umpire and relevant democratic institutions to strictly abide by their rules of engagement, statutory duties and democratic ethics,” he said.

The party warned against using federal agencies to intimidate political opponents during the election.

“Electoral contest is not a warfare. It should not be militarized by deploying federal apparatuses to suppress, subdue and oppress political opponents and their supporters to favour a party that has been rejected by the people,” Mgbudem warned.

Accord said Governor Ademola Adeleke deserved another term in office, citing what it described as his administration’s performance.

The party further alleged that attempts had been made to destabilise the state government through litigation seeking the deregistration of Accord and four other parties, as well as actions affecting local government administration.

It urged INEC to conduct a transparent, inclusive and credible governorship election, while calling on election observers, civil society organisations, the NBA, development partners, opposition parties and the media to monitor the poll closely.

Accord also appealed for the release of about 60 of its members reportedly detained in Abuja, Osun and Nasarawa states, saying the move would help lower political tension before the election.

The party expressed confidence that it would win the August 15 governorship election.

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