Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has dragged Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in a ₦15 billion defamation suit over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a ₦27.3 billion take-off grant approved for a federal agency.
In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, ₦200 million as the cost of litigation, and a court order compelling Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers as well as on all social media platforms where the alleged defamatory statements were circulated.
According to court documents obtained by Channels Television, the Chief of Staff categorically denied ever meeting, speaking with, or authorising Adeyemi or anyone else to demand or receive money on his behalf.
Through a legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kemi Pinheiro, Gbajabiamila described the allegations as false, malicious, reckless, and calculated to damage his reputation. Other members of the legal team include SANs Folu Oguntade, Olukayode Enitan, and Chukwudi Enebeli.
The legal action stems from allegations made by Adeyemi during a press conference, where he claimed that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 per cent kickback from the agency's ₦27.3 billion take-off grant. He further alleged that the Chief of Staff received ₦400 million through a proxy and later requested an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals.
However, in his sworn statement before the court, Gbajabiamila maintained that he had no personal, official, or professional relationship with the defendant. He denied demanding or receiving any money, abusing the powers of his office, or interfering with any law enforcement agency.
He also dismissed allegations linking him to the death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom Adeyemi claimed acted as an intermediary, as well as claims that he orchestrated an assassination attempt on the defendant or influenced investigations by security agencies.
Court documents further revealed that Gbajabiamila's solicitors issued a cease-and-desist letter on July 6, 2026, demanding an immediate retraction and public apology. The demand was subsequently published in national newspapers the following day.
Despite the warning, the suit alleged that Adeyemi continued making the claims in subsequent media appearances, including an interview with social media influencer VeryDarkMan and another on *Politics Today* aired on Channels Television on July 13, 2026.
Gbajabiamila told the court that during one of those interviews, Adeyemi admitted he had never met him personally and had not independently verified the identity of the individual he believed to be the Chief of Staff, explaining that all his alleged communications were through the late Babatunde Tanimola.
The claimant argued that despite making those admissions, Adeyemi continued to publicly repeat the allegations, thereby inflicting further damage on his reputation.
The court filings also disclosed that Adeyemi is currently facing a separate criminal trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations involving forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters.
Gbajabiamila told the court that the accusations had seriously tarnished both his personal and professional reputation by portraying him as corrupt, dishonest, and guilty of abuse of office.
He stated that he deliberately chose to seek legal redress instead of engaging in a media confrontation, insisting that the lawsuit was necessary to protect both his reputation and the integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The FCT High Court has directed Adeyemi to enter an appearance within 14 days of being served with the originating processes, warning that failure to do so may result in judgment being entered against him in default.
