Gbajabiamila's Legal Team Issues Ultimatum Over Defamatory Allegations
Lawyers representing Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, have issued a formal legal threat demanding N10 billion in damages from Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who publicly accused the presidential aide of murder, bribery, and a range of criminal misconduct. The letter, dated July 6, 2026, and signed by 'Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, of Pinheiro LP, gives Adeyemi 72 hours to comply or face legal action.
Background of the Press Conference Allegations
During a press conference held on June 25, Adeyemi described Gbajabiamila as "a murderer" and "an assassin," alleging that the Chief of Staff had demanded 48 per cent of a purported N27.4 billion take-off grant belonging to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), amounting to roughly N12.5 billion. Adeyemi further alleged that Gbajabiamila received N400 million through proxies linked to appointments connected to the entity.
Details of the Legal Notice
The letter enumerated nine allegations from the press conference, with Gbajabiamila's lawyers describing all of them as "not only false but gravely defamatory," adding 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 lawyers flatly denied that Gbajabiamila had ever had any dealings with Adeyemi. "You have never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever with him," they wrote, describing the allegations as "reckless, baseless and malicious."
Ongoing Criminal Proceedings Against Adeyemi
The legal notice also cited the active criminal proceedings against Adeyemi as an aggravating factor. Adeyemi is listed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, on allegations of forgery, including forging an appointment letter bearing Gbajabiamila's purported signature and counterfeiting presidential letterheaded papers to pass himself off as a government official, according to Vanguard. "Trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process," the lawyers stated.
Compliance Demands Within 72 Hours
Within the 72-hour compliance window, Adeyemi was directed to take down all materials relating to the press conference, including transcripts, videos and recordings, publish a full retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and across all relevant social media platforms, and provide a written undertaking not to make further publications about Gbajabiamila. Non-compliance, the letter warned, would result in both criminal defamation proceedings under FCT law and a civil suit seeking N10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages, to be donated to a charity of Gbajabiamila's choice, alongside a perpetual injunction.
The PFIPC Controversy
At the centre of the broader dispute is the PFIPC itself, which the Presidency has consistently described as a fictitious agency. Adeyemi, who claimed to serve as its Director-General, countered that the body appeared on pages 50 and 51 of a presidential-assented appropriation bill and received over N1.3 billion in the 2026 budget, including approximately N803 million for personnel costs, N200 million for overhead, and N300 million for capital expenditure.
Reactions from Legal and Political Figures
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana weighed in on the matter, arguing that the Presidency lacked the constitutional authority to exonerate anyone involved and calling for an independent investigation into both Gbajabiamila and Adeyemi. Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said scandals are no longer viewed as isolated incidents but as recurring features of governance in President Bola Tinubu's administration, stating that Tinubu’s government has dragged Nigeria to a dangerous point.
