PFIPC Scandal: Gbajabiamila Sues Adeyemi Adeniyi, Demands ₦15 Billion

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has instituted a ₦15 billion defamation suit against the self-styled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.

Naija News reports that the suit, filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, followed Adeyemi’s allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a purported ₦27.3bn take-off grant approved for the disputed agency.

Gbajabiamila is seeking ₦10bn in general damages and ₦5bn in aggravated damages over what he described as false, malicious and defamatory allegations.

He is also demanding ₦200m as the cost of prosecuting the action.

The claimant asked the court to order Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and unconditional apology in five national newspapers.

He also wants the apology pinned for 30 days on all social media platforms and online channels where the disputed statements were circulated.

Gbajabiamila filed the action through a legal team from Pinheiro LP led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.

Other members of the team include Folu Oguntade, SAN; Olukayode Enitan, SAN; and Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN.

In the statement of claim, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting, communicating or having any personal, official or professional relationship with Adeyemi.

“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 Chief of Staff also denied authorising anyone to negotiate for or receive financial benefits from Adeyemi in connection with the alleged agency.

Adeyemi had alleged at a press conference that a disagreement arose between him and the Chief of Staff after Gbajabiamila purportedly demanded 48 per cent of the agency’s proposed ₦27.3bn take-off grant.

He also claimed that ₦400m had been paid through a proxy for the Chief of Staff and that another ₦200m was required to obtain presidential approvals.

Gbajabiamila denied receiving the alleged ₦400m, the purported outstanding ₦200m or any other money from Adeyemi or his associates.

He maintained that the allegations accusing him of bribery, abuse of office and corruption were fabricated.

The suit also addressed Adeyemi’s claims concerning the late Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an intermediary between himself and Gbajabiamila.

Adeyemi had alleged that Tanimola died in a suspicious fire at Kachi Hotel, Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, one day after the Chief of Staff reportedly petitioned the police over the PFIPC controversy.

He also claimed that he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025.

Adeyemi further alleged that a “directive from above” prevented the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force from recovering his stolen mobile phones, which he claimed contained evidence relevant to the controversy.

Gbajabiamila denied any involvement in Tanimola’s death, the alleged attack on Adeyemi or the reported disappearance of his phones.

The Chief of Staff also denied directing the police, DSS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or any security agency to harass or intimidate Adeyemi.

He maintained that he neither interfered with any investigation involving the defendant nor instructed security agencies to suppress evidence.

Gbajabiamila also rejected allegations that he intimidated media organisations or abused his office to silence the PFIPC claimant.

The court documents stated that Gbajabiamila’s lawyers issued Adeyemi a cease-and-desist notice dated July 6, 2026.

The notice, which demanded the withdrawal of the allegations and a public apology, was published in several national newspapers on July 7.

According to the claimant, Adeyemi failed to retract the claims and instead granted an interview to social media commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

Gbajabiamila argued that Adeyemi made admissions during the interview that contradicted his earlier allegations.

The Chief of Staff said Adeyemi admitted during the interview that he had never met him physically or spoken with him through a video call.

According to the claimant, Adeyemi acknowledged that all purported communications were conducted through the late Tanimola.

Gbajabiamila said the defendant also admitted that he had no independent means of confirming that the person he believed he was dealing with was actually the Chief of Staff.

He further alleged that Adeyemi said he could neither conclude that Gbajabiamila was lying nor affirm that he was telling the truth.

The Chief of Staff argued that this position was materially different from the categorical accusations made during the earlier press conference.

Gbajabiamila said Adeyemi nevertheless repeated the allegations during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on July 13, 2026.

He maintained that the repeated statements, despite the cease-and-desist notice, showed a deliberate attempt to sustain what he described as a campaign of falsehood.

According to him, the publications triggered public discussions and enquiries from friends, political associates and professional colleagues in Nigeria and abroad.

He said the controversy caused serious damage to his personal and professional reputation.

Gbajabiamila told the court that he deliberately avoided responding to the allegations through media exchanges because he considered the judiciary the appropriate forum for resolving the dispute.

He said the suit was filed not only to protect his reputation but also to preserve the dignity and integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives said he had built his public service career on integrity, honesty and commitment to duty.

He acknowledged that public officers were subject to scrutiny but argued that Adeyemi’s claims went beyond criticism and amounted to accusations of serious criminal conduct presented as facts.

The court filings also stated that Adeyemi was already facing criminal proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja when he made the allegations.

He is standing trial alongside others in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026 over allegations relating to forged presidential documents and appointment letters.

The Chief of Staff’s lawyers argued that the disputed documents formed the basis of Adeyemi’s public claims.

Adeyemi has denied wrongdoing in the criminal case.

The FCT High Court directed Adeyemi to enter an appearance within 14 days of being served with the originating processes.

The court warned that judgment could be entered against him in default if he failed to respond within the stipulated period.