Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, has filed a N15 billion defamation lawsuit against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of operating a fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). The suit was lodged at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on 15 July, following allegations that Adeyemi falsely claimed Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant approved for the purported agency.
The legal action comes nine days after a cease-and-desist letter dated 6 July, which demanded that Adeyemi retract the claims, remove all related publications, and tender an apology. Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 billion in general damages and N5 billion in aggravated damages, asserting that the allegations have severely damaged his personal reputation and the integrity of his office.
Details of the Allegations
During a press conference on 25 June, Adeyemi accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a 48 per cent kickback from the N27.3 billion grant. He alleged that N400 million had already been paid through a proxy, and an additional N200 million was demanded for presidential approvals. Adeyemi also claimed that the late Babatunde Tanimola acted as an intermediary and died under suspicious circumstances in a hotel fire on 22 October 2025, a day after Gbajabiamila allegedly petitioned the police. Furthermore, Adeyemi alleged he survived an assassination attempt and that security agencies were directed to halt investigations.
Gbajabiamila has flatly denied all allegations. In court filings, he stated he has never met Adeyemi, never communicated with him, and never authorized anyone to act on his behalf. He also denied knowing Tanimola or having any involvement in his death.
Cease-and-Desist and Continued Publications
Gbajabiamila’s legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter on 6 July, published in national newspapers including THISDAY on 7 July. Despite this, Adeyemi continued to repeat the allegations in interviews, including one with social media influencer VeryDarkMan and on Channels Television’s Politics Today on 13 July. Gbajabiamila noted that during the interview with VeryDarkMan, Adeyemi admitted he had never met Gbajabiamila and that all information came through Tanimola, contradicting his earlier certainty.
The Chief of Staff argued that these continued publications demonstrated a deliberate effort to sustain the defamatory campaign, causing widespread public discussion and damage to his reputation.
Criminal Case and Witnesses
Adeyemi is also facing a criminal prosecution before the Federal High Court in Abuja for operating the fake PFIPC, with charges including forgery of presidential documents. The trial judge, Mohammed Umar, ordered his arrest on Tuesday after he failed to appear in court; he was later arrested in Osun State. Gbajabiamila is listed as a prosecution witness and intends to testify personally.
Two former members of the House of Representatives, Adekoya Adesegun Abdel-Majid and Henry Nwawuba, are also witnesses. Abdel-Majid stated he was shocked by the allegations, while Nwawuba noted they created uncertainty about Gbajabiamila’s credibility.
Reliefs Sought
Gbajabiamila is seeking declarations that the statements were false, malicious, and defamatory. He requests an order for an unconditional retraction and apology in five national newspapers and on all social media platforms for at least 30 days. He also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining Adeyemi from repeating the allegations. The damages of N15 billion, plus N200 million in costs and 10 per cent post-judgment interest, are to be paid to charities of his choice.
No hearing date has been set for the case.
