Adebayo Defends EFCC Autonomy, Calls for Accountable Leadership

Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign, accusing him of interfering in the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Adebayo made the statement while reacting to reports that President Tinubu directed the EFCC to unfreeze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government. He maintained that he does not support calls for the resignation of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, stressing that the anti-graft agency should be allowed to carry out its constitutional duties without political interference.
According to him, if the EFCC acted wrongly by freezing the Osun State Government’s accounts, the appropriate response should be to challenge the action in court rather than seek political intervention. He noted that the EFCC operates under judicial oversight and that anyone dissatisfied with its actions has legal avenues, including seeking the unfreezing of accounts or claiming damages through the courts.
Adebayo argued that the President has no constitutional authority to direct the EFCC on how to conduct investigations, describing such interference as a violation of the rule of law. He added that the SDP has consistently respected law enforcement agencies and has always chosen legal remedies whenever it disagreed with their actions instead of attacking institutions.
He further assured that under an SDP administration, anti-corruption agencies would operate independently without political directives. Commenting on the recent meeting between President Tinubu and Catholic bishops, Adebayo said the clerics offered sincere advice in the interest of the nation and should not be criticised for speaking the truth.
He encouraged religious leaders to remain steadfast in praying for Nigeria while continuing to speak truth to those in positions of authority. Speaking on Northern Nigeria, Adebayo described the region as one of the country’s greatest assets, noting that its vast land, large population and abundant natural resources could drive agriculture and economic growth under responsible leadership.
The SDP presidential candidate blamed Nigeria’s challenges on poor leadership rather than regional differences, insisting that every part of the country has the potential to prosper under accountable governance. On calls for a single opposition presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 elections, he said the Constitution recognises only one president at a time and urged Nigerians to focus on electing a competent leader instead of debating political arrangements. He also criticised the National Assembly for allegedly placing personal interests above those of Nigerians and called on citizens across political divides to unite in strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring better leadership.