Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Olufemi Gbajabiamila, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, demanding the withdrawal of what he described as false and defamatory allegations made against him or face both civil and criminal legal action.
Through his solicitors, Pinheiro LP, Gbajabiamila is also seeking a public apology, the removal of the alleged defamatory publications from all media platforms, and a written undertaking that no further allegations will be made against him.
The demands were contained in a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro on behalf of the law firm.
According to the letter, the allegations stem from a press conference addressed by Adeyemi on June 25, 2026, which was subsequently circulated across print, broadcast and social media platforms.
The solicitors described the statements made during the briefing as “false, malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation,” alleging that they were intended to portray the Chief of Staff as corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, administratively incompetent and unfit to occupy public office.
Among the allegations cited in the letter were claims that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 per cent of the alleged take-off grant of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), received N400 million through proxies in relation to appointments into the organisation, manipulated security agencies, abused his office, influenced budget processes, engaged in corruption, acted under the influence of intoxicating substances while carrying out official duties, and was involved in murder and a criminal cover-up.
Pinheiro LP dismissed the allegations as entirely false, defamatory and unsupported by any evidence.
The law firm further stated that Gbajabiamila had never met, communicated with or maintained any personal or official relationship with Adeyemi, arguing that the absence of any prior contact underscored the reckless and malicious nature of the claims.
“The publication goes far beyond fair comment, criticism or political discourse. Rather, it consists of grave allegations of criminality, corruption, abuse of office, bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice and official misconduct made without any lawful justification or supporting evidence,” the letter stated.
The solicitors maintained that the allegations had caused serious reputational damage to the Chief of Staff, exposed him to public ridicule and diminished public confidence in his office both within and outside Nigeria.
They also criticised Adeyemi for choosing to publicise the allegations instead of presenting them before the appropriate investigative or judicial authorities.
Pinheiro LP further noted that Adeyemi is already facing criminal prosecution before the Federal High Court in Abuja in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, FRN v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & Ors, over allegations bordering on forgery, including the alleged forgery of an appointment letter and presidential letterhead purportedly indicating that he had been appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
According to the law firm, several of the allegations raised during the press conference relate to matters already before the court.
“It is even more disturbing to our client that you resorted to defaming him through your press statements after a criminal charge had been filed against you,” the letter stated, adding that “trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process.”
The solicitors said the publication had attracted widespread public attention, with friends, political associates and members of the public contacting the Chief of Staff to question the allegations.
As part of its demands, Pinheiro LP directed Adeyemi to immediately cease making or publishing any further defamatory statements concerning Gbajabiamila and remove all related press conference videos, transcripts, recordings and publications from every platform under his control.
The law firm also demanded that Adeyemi publish a full, unequivocal and unreserved retraction and apology acknowledging that the allegations were false, defamatory and without factual basis.
According to the letter, the apology must be published with equal prominence in at least five national newspapers, on all platforms where the allegations appeared and across every social media account through which they were disseminated.
The solicitors also requested a written undertaking that no further defamatory statements would be made against their client.
Pinheiro LP warned that failure to comply with the demands within 72 hours would result in legal action without further notice.
The proposed legal action includes the filing of a criminal complaint for alleged criminal defamation under the applicable laws of the Federal Capital Territory, as well as a civil suit seeking N10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages.
According to the firm, any damages awarded would be donated to charity or charities chosen by Gbajabiamila.
The suit would also seek a perpetual injunction restraining Adeyemi from making further defamatory publications and a mandatory court order compelling him to publish a retraction and apology.
