President receives briefing on management of houses seized nationwide amid renewed focus on transparency and accountability.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, at the State House in Abuja.
The meeting focused on the management and disposal of houses seized nationwide by the anti-graft agency, with the Presidency stressing the need for transparency and accountability in the process.
The engagement was the first publicly reported meeting between President Tinubu and Olukoyede since the President directed the EFCC to vacate a court order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government ahead of the state’s governorship election.
The EFCC had obtained the August 5 order, citing an investigation into the alleged diversion of about N11 billion in ecology funds, intervention funds and Federation Account allocations belonging to the state.
The Osun State Government challenged the order in court, accusing the commission of conducting a political witch-hunt and seeking N2 billion in exemplary damages.
Two days later, President Tinubu directed the EFCC to return to court and vacate the order, saying he was concerned about the timing of the action, which came just days before the August 15 governorship election.
The President said the timing could create an impression that a federal institution was being used to influence the election.
Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently won the election and later disclosed that he had instructed the state Attorney-General to withdraw the suit against the EFCC following Tinubu’s intervention.