Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has given Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the self-styled Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a 72-hour ultimatum to retract corruption allegations made against him or face a ₦10 billion defamation suit.
- 5 Key Details in The Letter
- 1. Adeyemi allegedly called Gbajabiamila “a murderer, assassin.”
- 2. Gbajabiamila’s team says the two men have never met.
- 3. The letter ties Adeyemi’s claims directly to his ongoing criminal trial.
- 4. It’s not just a civil suit; a criminal complaint is also threatened
- 5. The demands go beyond a simple apology, and any damages won’t go to Gbajabiamila personally
- Background
The ultimatum came in a cease-and-desist letter dated Monday, July 6, 2026, and made public on Tuesday, July 7, issued by Gbajabiamila’s solicitors, Pinheiro LP, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro.
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The letter demands that Adeyemi withdraw claims he made at a widely circulated June 25 press conference, where he accused the Chief of Staff of demanding a cut of a proposed government grant and receiving money through a proxy.
Should Adeyemi fail to comply within the given timeframe, Gbajabiamila’s lawyers say they will pursue both a criminal defamation complaint and civil proceedings seeking ₦10 billion in damages, a court order stopping further publications, and a mandatory apology.
5 Key Details in The Letter
1. Adeyemi allegedly called Gbajabiamila “a murderer, assassin.”
Buried among the listed allegations, Pinheiro LP’s letter reveals that Adeyemi’s press conference didn’t stop at corruption claims; it accused Gbajabiamila of being “a murderer, assassin” who “participated in a criminal cover-up.”
This is the most serious allegation contained in the letter and hasn’t had much airtime until now.
2. Gbajabiamila’s team says the two men have never met.
The letter states Gbajabiamila has “never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever” with Adeyemi.
His lawyers argue this total absence of any relationship is itself proof the allegations were invented rather than arising from any real dispute.
3. The letter ties Adeyemi’s claims directly to his ongoing criminal trial.
Pinheiro LP argues several of the press conference allegations “touch on and concern the counts of the Charge” already before the Federal High Court in the forgery case (FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026), insisting that “trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process.”
4. It’s not just a civil suit; a criminal complaint is also threatened
Beyond the ₦10 billion civil claim, the letter states that if Adeyemi doesn’t comply, Gbajabiamila’s lawyers will also lodge “a criminal petition/complaint against you for criminal defamation of our client in line with extant laws of the F.C.T.”
This means Adeyemi could potentially face criminal charges over the press conference itself, separate from — and in addition to — the forgery case already before the court.
5. The demands go beyond a simple apology, and any damages won’t go to Gbajabiamila personally
Adeyemi has been asked to stop making further statements, take down the press conference and all related content from platforms under his control, publish a full apology with equal prominence in at least five national newspapers, and sign a written undertaking never to repeat the allegations.
Notably, the ₦10 billion sought, if recovered, would be “paid to a charity or charities of our client’s choice”, framing the suit as a matter of principle rather than personal gain.
Background
The scandal traces back to October 2025, when Adeyemi was arrested after operating what the Presidency insists was a fictitious federal agency, the PFIPC, complete with an office at the Federal Secretariat, dozens of bank accounts, and meetings with diplomats.
Gbajabiamila’s office had petitioned the DSS and Police on October 17, 2025, describing the operation as the work of “fraudsters and imposters.” Adeyemi was subsequently charged before the Federal High Court, Abuja, with an eight-count indictment covering forgery, impersonation and false personation.
Out on bail, Adeyemi resurfaced in June 2026 with fresh, dramatic claims of his own, alleging that Gbajabiamila demanded 48% of a proposed ₦27.4 billion take-off grant for the agency and received ₦400 million through a proxy. He has also raised questions about a suspicious death linked to the case and alleged attempts on his own life.
The Presidency has firmly rejected the claims, and last week a coalition of over 350 civil society organisations publicly backed Gbajabiamila, describing Adeyemi’s allegations as baseless. With Adeyemi due back in court on July 27 and police reportedly having picked up his father as investigations continue, the case has grown into one of the most closely watched governance scandals in Abuja this year.
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Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila’s 72-hour ultimatum is expected to lapse on Thursday, July 9. If there had not been a public retraction from Adeyemi, attention would turn to whether Gbajabiamila’s camp follows through with the criminal petition and civil suit, alongside the forgery trial still scheduled for July 27.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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