Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, has initiated a N15 billion defamation lawsuit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja. The legal action stems from claims made by Matthew that Gbajabiamila solicited a 48 percent kickback from a N27.3 billion agency grant.
Gbajabiamila is demanding N10 billion in general damages and N5 billion in aggravated damages. Furthermore, the suit requests N200 million for legal costs and an order forcing Matthew to issue a public apology and retraction across five national newspapers and all social media platforms for one month. His legal representatives from Pinheiro LP, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, labeled the allegations as malicious falsehoods.
In court filings, Gbajabiamila explicitly denied ever meeting, communicating with, or authorizing any intermediary to act for him. The lawsuit highlights that Matthew had previously claimed a payment of N400 million was made through a proxy, with an additional N200 million allegedly requested. The Chief of Staff categorically rejected any involvement in these financial demands, the suspicious death of an alleged associate named Babatunde Tanimola, or any interference with law enforcement agencies.
The court documents note that Matthew is already facing separate criminal charges for allegedly forging presidential documents and appointment letters. Despite receiving a formal cease-and-desist notice, Matthew continued to repeat his claims in media interviews. Gbajabiamila maintains that these reckless assertions have severely harmed his professional standing and personal reputation, prompting his decision to seek legal redress rather than engaging in public media disputes.
