PFIPC Saga Escalates: Gbajabiamila Files ₦15 Billion Defamation Suit Against His Accuser
Atlantic Digest News ▪︎ Saturday, July 18, 2026
The controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a new legal turn, with Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, filing a ₦15 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the whistleblower at the centre of the allegations.
The suit follows claims by Adeyemi that Gbajabiamila demanded a ₦400 million bribe and sought 48 per cent of the alleged ₦27.4 billion take-off grant for the PFIPC.
Court documents indicate that Gbajabiamila’s legal team first issued a cease-and-desist letter, which was published in national newspapers on July 7, demanding a retraction of the allegations.
However, Adeyemi reportedly repeated the claims during an interview with social media personality VeryDarkMan and later on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme. Reports also indicate that he acknowledged he had never met Gbajabiamila in person and had not independently verified the identity of the individual he claimed represented the Chief of Staff.
In his witness statement before the court, Gbajabiamila described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory, arguing that they wrongly portrayed him as corrupt and had damaged a reputation built over decades of public service.
He stated that the legal action was not only intended to clear his name but also to protect the integrity and credibility of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi is facing separate criminal proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations involving forged presidential documents and appointment letters allegedly linked to the PFIPC.
The Presidency has consistently maintained that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the purported council has no official recognition.
Despite the legal action, the PFIPC controversy continues to generate political debate. Several civil society organisations and legal practitioners have criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to refer the matter to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with a 30-day investigation timeline.
Critics argue that a truly independent investigation would require Gbajabiamila to temporarily step aside while the allegations are examined—a position previously expressed by opposition leaders, including Atiku Abubakar.
The case is expected to remain in the public spotlight as both the civil defamation proceedings and the criminal trial continue before the courts.
— Atlantic Digest News
