Retract or Face Court: Gbajabiamila Fires Legal Warning

Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has given Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew 72 hours to withdraw what he described as false and malicious allegations made during a widely circulated press conference held on June 25, 2026.

In a cease and desist letter dated July 6, 2026, Gbajabiamila’s solicitors, Pinheiro LP, accused Adeyemi of making “reckless, baseless and malicious” allegations intended to damage the Chief of Staff’s reputation.
The letter, signed by Kemi Pinheiro OFR, SAN, stated that Gbajabiamila “has never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever” with Adeyemi.
According to the legal team, Adeyemi alleged during the press conference that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 percent of the take-off grant for the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, received ₦400 million through a proxy, abused his office to intimidate others, participated in fraudulent budgetary processes, and engaged in conduct suggestive of corruption, criminality, and even murder.
The solicitors described the allegations as entirely false and highly defamatory.
“These allegations are not only false but are gravely defamatory,” the letter stated. “They plainly convey to ordinary, reasonable members of society that our client is corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, unfit for public office, violent, dangerous and undeserving of public trust.”
The legal team further argued that the publication, which was widely circulated across traditional and social media platforms, had caused significant reputational harm to Gbajabiamila, a seasoned public servant and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“Your defamatory statements… have enjoyed wide readership, no doubt carries with it the imputation of extreme dishonesty, corruption and fraud,” the letter added.
Gbajabiamila’s lawyers demanded that within 72 hours, Adeyemi must stop making or publishing any further defamatory statements, remove all related materials, including videos and transcripts, from every platform, and publish a full and unequivocal retraction and apology with equal prominence in at least five national newspapers and on the same platforms where the original allegations appeared.
They also requested a written undertaking from Adeyemi assuring that he would refrain from making any future defamatory publications.
The letter warned that failure to comply would result in immediate legal action, including a criminal complaint for defamation and a civil suit seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages, with any award to be donated to charities selected by Gbajabiamila. The legal action would also seek a perpetual injunction and a court order compelling a public apology and retraction.
The development comes amid the ongoing controversy involving Adeyemi and the alleged ghost agency, with the Presidency insisting that the entity does not exist. It also noted that Adeyemi is facing criminal charges bordering on forgery and impersonation before the Federal High Court in Abuja.