The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has slammed a N15 billion defamation suit on the embattled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeyemi Adeniyi.
Gbajabiamila filed the suit in response to Adeniyi’s allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant approved for the alleged fake federal agency.
Specifically, the Chief of Staff, in the suit filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, is seeking N10 billion in general damages, N5 billion in aggravated damages and N200 million as the cost of the action.
He is also asking the court to compel the Respondent to publish a full retraction and an unconditional apology in five national newspapers, as well as on all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory publications appeared, for 30 days.
The Claimant, through his legal team led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), with Folu Oguntade (SAN), Olukayode Enitan (SAN) and Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.
In the statement of claim and witness statement on oath filed in support of the suit, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting, communicating with or having any personal, official or professional dealings with the Respondent.
He also denied authorising any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf.
According to the court processes, Adeniyi alleged at a press conference that a dispute arose after Gbajabiamila purportedly demanded a 48 per cent kickback from the N27.3 billion take-off grant approved for a federal agency.
The respondent had further alleged that N400 million had already been paid through a proxy on behalf of the Chief of Staff, while an additional N200 million was required to secure presidential approvals.
But the Claimant described the allegations as completely false, insisting that he never demanded any percentage of the alleged grant or requested any financial benefit from Matthew or anyone acting on his behalf.
Gbajabiamila equally denied receiving, directly or indirectly, the alleged N400 million, the additional N200 million or any other money from the defendant.
The Claimant has never met the Defendant, never held any meeting with him and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf,” the court filing stated.
The suit also referred to allegations made by Adeniyi concerning the death of an intermediary, Babatunde Tanimola, whom the defendant claimed served as a link between him and the Chief of Staff.
The Respondent had alleged that Tanimola died in a suspicious hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after Gbajabiamila allegedly petitioned the police.
He also claimed that he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025 and alleged that a “directive from above” compelled the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to discontinue efforts to recover his stolen mobile phones, which he claimed contained crucial evidence.
Gbajabiamila denied any involvement in, or knowledge of, the alleged death of Tanimola or any purported attempt on Matthew’s life.
He also denied abusing his office, manipulating security agencies, intimidating media organisations or interfering with any investigation involving Matthew or any other person.
The Chief of Staff further denied instructing the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), or any other law enforcement agency to harass, intimidate, or investigate Matthew.
The court processes stated that Gbajiamila’s solicitors issued a cease-and-desist notice dated July 6, 2026, demanding an immediate withdrawal of the allegations, a public retraction and an unconditional apology.
The notice was published in several national newspapers on July 7, 2026.
However, rather than retracting the allegations, the Respondent allegedly granted an interview to social media influencer VeryDarkMan.
In his witness statement, Gbajiamila claimed that Adeniyi made several admissions during the interview which contradicted his earlier allegations.
He said Matthew admitted that he had never met him in person, had never conducted a video call with him and had never independently verified the identity of the person he believed to be the Chief of Staff.
Gbajiamila further averred that the Respondent also admitted that all communications were conducted through the late Tanimola.
The claimant stated that the Respondent allegedly admitted during the interview that he could neither say Gbajiamila was lying nor affirm that he was telling the truth, adding that he intended to submit documents in his possession to the police for investigation.
Gbajiamila maintained that he was surprised by the position, arguing that Adeniyi had publicly accused him of serious criminal conduct before taking steps to verify the allegations with him or the relevant authorities.
He alleged that despite the admissions, the Respondent repeated the allegations during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on July 13, 2026.
The Chief of Staff told the court that the allegations had caused grave damage to his personal and professional reputation.
The legal practitioner and former Speaker of the House of Representatives said he had built his reputation over several decades of public service on integrity, honesty and fidelity to duty.
He stated that although public office holders must be subject to scrutiny and criticism, the allegations against him went beyond legitimate criticism, as they alleged corruption, bribery, abuse of office, and other criminal misconduct as facts.
Gbajabiamila said his attention was drawn around June 25, 2026, to a press conference addressed by Adeniyi and widely circulated on television, online news platforms and social media.
After watching the recording and reading reports of the allegations, he said he was “profoundly disturbed” by claims that he demanded unlawful financial benefits, received huge sums through proxies, abused the powers of his office, interfered with law enforcement agencies and intimidated individuals and media organisations.
The Claimant said he deliberately refrained from responding through the media because he believed the courtroom was the proper forum for resolving the dispute.
He added that he instituted the action not only to vindicate his personal reputation but also to protect the integrity and dignity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
He further alleged that the Respondent’s repeated media appearances, despite the cease-and-desist notice, demonstrated a deliberate effort to sustain and reinforce what he described as a campaign of false allegations against him.
Gbajabiamila urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought.
