Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has threatened a ₦10 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi over allegations linking him to murder, bribery, abuse of office and other criminal conduct.
The threat was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kemi Pinheiro of Pinheiro LP, acting on behalf of the Chief of Staff. The Telegraph obtained a copy of the letter.
The legal action follows a June 25 press conference at which Adeyemi—who is facing criminal charges over his alleged role in operating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an entity the Presidency says does not exist—made a series of allegations against Gbajabiamila.
During the briefing, Adeyemi accused the Chief of Staff of demanding a share of the council’s alleged take-off grant, receiving money through proxies, abusing his office, participating in a criminal cover-up, and described him as “a murderer” and “an assassin.”
In the letter, Gbajabiamila’s lawyers described the allegations as “false, reckless and gravely defamatory,” arguing that they were intended to portray him as “corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, administratively incompetent, a murderer and unfit to occupy public office.”
The lawyers said Adeyemi had never met, communicated or had any personal or official dealings with Gbajabiamila.
“You have never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever with him,” the letter stated, adding that publishing allegations against someone with whom he had “absolutely no relationship or interaction” demonstrated their “reckless, baseless and malicious” nature.
The letter also referenced ongoing criminal proceedings against Adeyemi before the Federal High Court in Abuja in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, FRN v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & Ors.
According to the charge, Adeyemi is accused of forgery, including allegedly forging an appointment letter bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature and counterfeiting presidential letter-headed paper to present himself as a government official.
The lawyers argued that making the allegations while the criminal case is pending amounted to an attempt to influence public opinion.
“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 said.
“Trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process.”
Gbajabiamila’s lawyers gave Adeyemi 72 hours to cease making further defamatory statements, remove all videos, recordings, transcripts and related materials from every platform, publish a full retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and across all social media platforms where the allegations were circulated, and provide a written undertaking not to publish similar claims in future.
The letter warned that failure to comply would result in criminal defamation proceedings under the laws of the Federal Capital Territory and a civil action seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages. The proposed suit would also seek a perpetual injunction and a court order compelling the publication of the apology. According to the letter, any damages awarded would be donated to a charity chosen by Gbajabiamila.
The PFIPC was listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act under the title “Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” and received budgetary allocations of more than ₦1.3 billion.
At his June 25 press conference, Adeyemi argued that an agency included in an appropriation law signed by the President could not be fictitious. The Presidency, however, maintains that the council is fraudulent and has no legal existence.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who represents Adeyemi, has argued that the Presidency lacks the constitutional authority to exonerate anyone in the matter and has called for an independent investigation into both the allegations against Gbajabiamila and the claims surrounding Adeyemi.
Adeyemi is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court on July 27, 2026.
