The Oyo State Government has insisted that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration acted within the law by seeking judicial interpretation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) powers, maintaining that the court action was never intended to obstruct any anti-corruption investigation.
Responding to criticisms by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the government said the administration remained transparent and accountable, arguing that its record in the management of public funds demonstrated that it had no reason to evade scrutiny by any law enforcement agency.
In a statement issued on Thursday, July 23, by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the government said the controversy stemmed from an EFCC request seeking documents relating to all contracts awarded and payments made to contractors between 2021 and 2025.
According to the statement, the state had requested the Commission to identify the specific contractors, projects or transactions under investigation before releasing the documents, describing the original request as too broad and lacking the particulars required for compliance.
The government explained that after receiving no clarification from the EFCC, it approached the Federal High Court to determine whether the anti-graft agency could lawfully demand such extensive records without linking the request to any specific investigation.
It noted that the court upheld the EFCC’s constitutional mandate to investigate financial crimes but ruled that the Commission’s demand, as presented, amounted to an indiscriminate search for evidence rather than a request connected to an identifiable allegation.
The statement further said Justice Nkeonye Maha nullified the EFCC’s June 2, 2025 letter, holding that the Commission must exercise its investigative powers within the limits of the law and ensure that requests for information are tied to specific offences or investigations.
The government maintained that the judgment reaffirmed the provisions of Section 38 of the EFCC Act, which empowers the Commission to obtain relevant information only in the course of investigating offences under the Act and not through blanket demands for official records.
Defending the administration’s stewardship, the government pointed to what it described as prudent management of state resources, citing investments in road infrastructure, healthcare, education, public service recruitment, prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions, as well as programmes aimed at improving the state’s economy and business environment.
It also rejected the APC’s interpretation of the legal action, stressing that seeking judicial clarification is a legitimate constitutional remedy available to every citizen and institution, not an indication of guilt or an attempt to frustrate an investigation.
The statement concluded that Governor Makinde and the Oyo State Government remain committed to transparency and accountability, assuring that all relevant records would be released whenever the EFCC makes requests that comply with the requirements of the law and are linked to specific investigations.
