The Accord Party has commended President Bola Tinubu for ordering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to unfreeze Osun State Government’s bank accounts, but is now demanding the immediate resignation of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
The party said if the EFCC boss refuses to step down, the President should sack him to restore public trust in the anti-graft agency.
The demand was made on Friday by Accord’s National Chairman, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, during a world press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Mgbudem described Tinubu’s intervention as “timely” following the EFCC’s directive to freeze the state’s accounts. He, however, accused the commission of partisanship ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election.
“Accord welcomes President Tinubu’s timely intervention in this critical national issue and urges security agencies, anti-graft commissions, the electoral umpire and relevant democratic institutions to strictly abide by their rules of engagement, statutory duties and democratic ethics,”he said
According to him, the EFCC had “demonstrated unprecedented partisanship in Osun State politics, assaulted the sensibilities of fellow compatriots and brought the nation to ridicule and disrepute before the international community.”
“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,” Mgbudem added.
The party chairman insisted there should be “no sacred cow” in the effort to sanitise the EFCC and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
Mgbudem also urged security agencies and INEC to remain neutral and operate within the law during the August 15 election.
“Electoral contest is not warfare. It should not be militarised by deploying federal apparatus to suppress, subdue and oppress political opponents and their supporters to favour a party that has been rejected by the people,” he said.
He called on INEC to conduct a free, fair, and credible election and ensure electoral materials are properly tested. He also urged election observers, civil society, the NBA, media, and development partners to speak out against anything that could undermine the poll.
Mgbudem further appealed to President Tinubu and IGP Kayode Egbetokun to release 60 Accord members allegedly detained in Abuja, Osun and Nasarawa, saying their release would help reduce political tension.
He urged Osun residents to come out to vote on August 15 and insisted that “every vote must be counted and reflected in the final result.”
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