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.
