Presidential Council scandal takes new turn as COS threatens Adeyemi with N10bn lawsuit

News Update

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has threatened legal action against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi over allegations linking him to murder, bribery and other criminal acts.

In a letter dated July 6, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro, on behalf of Pinheiro LP, Gbajabiamila demanded an immediate retraction of the claims and warned that failure to comply within 72 hours would result in a ₦10 billion defamation lawsuit.

The legal threat follows a press conference held by Adeyemi on June 25, during which he accused the Chief of Staff of demanding a share of the alleged take-off grant of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), receiving funds through proxies, abusing his office and participating in a criminal cover-up.

Adeyemi also described Gbajabiamila as “a murderer” and “an assassin” during the briefing.

The letter described the allegations as false and defamatory, stating that they were intended to damage the reputation of the President’s Chief of Staff.

“The allegations are not only false but gravely defamatory,” the lawyers stated, adding that they were “designed to portray our client as corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, administratively incompetent, a murderer and unfit to occupy public office.”

Gbajabiamila also denied ever having any relationship or communication with Adeyemi.

“You have never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever with him,” the letter read.

According to the lawyers, making such allegations against someone with whom Adeyemi had no prior interaction further demonstrated what they described as the reckless and malicious nature of the claims.

The letter further noted that Adeyemi made the allegations after criminal charges had already been filed against him, describing the move as an attempt to influence public opinion while the matter remains before the court.

“Trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot be a substitute for due process,” the letter added.

Gbajabiamila’s legal team demanded that Adeyemi immediately stop making further defamatory statements, remove all videos, transcripts and recordings of the press conference from every platform, publish a full retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and across his social media accounts, and provide a written undertaking not to repeat the allegations.

The lawyers warned that failure to comply within 72 hours would lead to both criminal defamation proceedings under the laws of the Federal Capital Territory and a civil action seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages. They also said the suit would seek a perpetual injunction and a court order compelling a public apology.

Adeyemi is currently facing charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, where he and others are accused of forgery, including allegedly forging an appointment letter bearing Gbajabiamila’s signature and counterfeiting presidential letterheaded documents to present himself as a government official.

At the centre of the dispute is the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which Adeyemi claimed to head as Director-General. While he argues that the body exists because it appears in the 2026 Appropriation Act and received budgetary allocations, the Presidency has maintained that the council is fictitious.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called for an independent investigation into the allegations involving both Gbajabiamila and Adeyemi, arguing that the Presidency lacks the constitutional authority to clear anyone of wrongdoing.

Adeyemi is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 27, 2026.