Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has threatened to file a ₦10 billion defamation lawsuit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the central figure in the ongoing Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal, over allegations linking him to murder, bribery, abuse of office, and other criminal conduct. The threat was conveyed in a formal letter dated 6 July 2026, issued by Gbajabiamila's legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro, and addressed to Adeyemi. The letter gave Adeyemi 72 hours to retract the statements, issue a public apology in at least five national newspapers, remove all related videos and publications, and provide a written undertaking to refrain from further defamatory statements.
The dispute stems from a press conference held by Adeyemi on 25 June 2026, during which he levelled a series of explosive allegations against Gbajabiamila. Adeyemi, who is facing criminal charges over his alleged role in operating the PFIPC—a body the Presidency has consistently described as fictitious—accused the Chief of Staff of demanding 48 per cent of the council's alleged ₦27.4 billion take-off grant, amounting to roughly ₦12.5 billion. He also alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through proxies in connection with appointments linked to the entity. During the briefing, Adeyemi went further, describing the Chief of Staff as "a murderer" and "an assassin".
In the five-page legal letter, Pinheiro described the allegations as "not only false but gravely defamatory" and argued that they were "designed to portray our client as corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, administratively incompetent, a murderer and unfit to occupy public office". The letter listed nine specific allegations from the press conference, including claims that Gbajabiamila abused and exploited his office to intimidate individuals and media organisations, knowingly participated in fraudulent governmental processes relating to the national budget, sought to manipulate or misuse security agencies, and may have acted under the influence of intoxicating substances in the discharge of his official duties.
Gbajabiamila's legal team insisted that the Chief of Staff had "never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever" with Adeyemi. The lawyers argued that the decision "to fabricate and publish allegations against a person with whom you have had absolutely no relationship or interaction underscores the reckless, baseless and malicious nature of your publication". They also criticised the timing of the allegations, noting that they were made after criminal proceedings had already been instituted against Adeyemi. "It is even more disturbing to our client that you resorted to defaming him through your press statements after a criminal Charge had been filed against you," the letter stated. "Trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process".
The letter further warned that failure to comply with the demands within 72 hours would trigger both criminal defamation proceedings under the laws of the Federal Capital Territory and a civil suit seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages, to be paid to a charity of Gbajabiamila's choice, alongside a perpetual injunction and a court order compelling the apology. Adeyemi is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 27 July 2026 to face pending criminal charges, including conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, and the alleged creation of fraudulent presidential documents. The matter has been adjourned until that date.
The PFIPC scandal has gripped the nation since it emerged that a body bearing that name received a budget allocation of over ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency later disowning it as non-existent. The controversy has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society organisations and opposition figures, with many calling for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the creation and funding of the alleged agency. The Presidency has accused Adeyemi of forging government appointment letters and other documents, and parading himself as the Director-General of a non-existent council. A senior civil servant had earlier explained that Adeyemi allegedly exploited a bureaucratic loophole after presenting a forged letter bearing the name of the Chief of Staff, with a signature that was later revealed to be forged.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the Presidency after Adeyemi's relatives were reportedly arrested by the police. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) had earlier confirmed the arrest of Adeyemi's father and raised concerns about what he described as substituted arrests with no basis in Nigerian law. The legal battle between Gbajabiamila and Adeyemi is expected to intensify in the coming weeks, as the Chief of Staff pursues both criminal and civil remedies against the man at the centre of one of the most damaging scandals to hit the Tinubu administration. For Adeyemi, the stakes could not be higher: he faces criminal prosecution, a potential N10 billion defamation judgment, and the collapse of his claim that he was ever a legitimate government official. For Gbajabiamila, the fight is about clearing his name and restoring public confidence in the integrity of the Presidency's inner circle.
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