Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a ₦15 billion defamation lawsuit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over allegations that he demanded a 48 percent kickback from a ₦27.3 billion federal agency take-off grant.
In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million in legal costs, and a court order compelling Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers. He also wants the apology pinned on all social media platforms where the allegations were shared for 30 days.
According to court documents, Adeyemi alleged during a press conference that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 percent kickback from the agency's approved funds and claimed that ₦400 million had already been paid through a proxy, with an additional ₦200 million requested to secure presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila strongly denied the allegations, insisting he has never met or communicated with Adeyemi and never authorized anyone to collect money on his behalf. He described the claims as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation.
The lawsuit also addresses allegations concerning the death of Babatunde Tanimola, who Adeyemi claimed acted as an intermediary between him and the Chief of Staff, as well as claims of an assassination attempt and alleged interference with security agencies. Gbajabiamila denied any knowledge or involvement in those incidents.
Court filings revealed that after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Gbajabiamila's lawyers, Adeyemi later admitted during an interview with social media influencer VeryDarkMan that he had never met or spoken directly with the Chief of Staff and relied solely on communications through the late Tanimola.
Despite those admissions, Gbajabiamila said Adeyemi repeated the allegations during a television appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today.
The Chief of Staff further noted that Adeyemi is already facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged forged presidential documents and appointment letters, which Gbajabiamila said formed the basis of the disputed claims.
Gbajabiamila told the court that the allegations have caused significant damage to his reputation and the integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff. He urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought, maintaining that the legal action is necessary to protect both his personal reputation and public office.
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