The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said that the call for the probe of his government came days after he declared for the presidential election in 2027.
In his regular newsletter, the governor said though he was not linking the two events, Nigerians should be the ones to judge the motive.
Makinde said reactions to his declaration started pouring after he made it.
He said the first was by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who said he should not run against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of the party.
He wrote in the newsletter: “On 1 June 2025, just about a week after the All Progressives Congress endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, an APC chieftain publicly warned me not to contest against the President. He described such a candidacy as an exercise in futility and advised the opposition not to waste its time.
“The following day, 2 June 2025, the EFCC wrote to the Accountant-General of Oyo State demanding copies of every contract involving the Oyo State Government and details of all transactions and payments made to contractors from 2021 to the date of its letter.
“No contractor was identified. No company was named. No questionable transaction or alleged offence was stated.
“Yet, we did not refuse to cooperate.
“We asked the EFCC to identify the contractors, companies or transactions under investigation so that we could provide the relevant documents.
“The Commission did not respond.
“We therefore approached the court, not to prevent a lawful investigation, but to determine whether any institution could demand several years of government records without identifying what it was investigating.
“More than one year later, the court has answered that question.
“Justice Nkeonye Maha affirmed that the EFCC has the authority to investigate financial crimes. However, the court held that this power must be exercised within the Constitution and the rule of law.
“The court described the demand made to Oyo State as speculative and a fishing expedition. It ruled that any request for information must be reasonable and connected to a specific allegation.
“Perhaps the timing of the EFCC’s letter was coincidental.
“I will not speculate about motives. Nigerians can consider the chronology and reach their own conclusions.
“For me, the greater issue is the kind of institutions we want for our country.
“No government should be beyond legitimate investigation. Our administration is not beyond scrutiny, and we have never asked to be.
“But accountability must be based on evidence. An investigation should not begin with a blanket search through years of records in the hope that something incriminating might eventually be found.”
Makinde said to understand why the judgment better, Nigerians should take another look at the interview he granted Channels Television.
He wrote further: “On Wednesday, 22 July 2026, a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan delivered judgment in a case instituted by the Oyo State Government against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“To understand why this judgment matters, we must return to my interview on Channels Television on 15 April 2025. I was asked about the possibility of running for President. I responded: ‘I don’t have any doubt that I have the capacity to occupy the highest office in this land, and I have what it takes.
“I had not declared that I would run. In fact, I made it clear that such a decision would depend on what Nigerians wanted and the direction my political party chose.
“Nevertheless, the political reactions began.”
Makinde said the judgment obtained against the EFCC is not a victory against the anti-graft agency, adding: “It is a victory for the rule of law and the principle that even powerful institutions must act within legal boundaries.
“It is also a reminder of why Nigeria needs a different kind of leadership.
“Since I formally entered the presidential race, I have heard the speculation. Some say I am merely positioning myself for negotiations. Others say that when the time comes, I will step down for another candidate.
“Let me be clear: I did not step forward in order to step down.
“I am going forward.
“I am going forward because Nigerians deserve better.
