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 during a widely circulated press conference or risk facing both civil and criminal legal proceedings.
The demand was conveyed through his legal representatives, Pinheiro LP, who also requested a public apology, the removal of the alleged defamatory publications from all media platforms, and a written commitment that no similar allegations would be made in the future.
The demands were outlined in a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, signed by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, on behalf of the law firm.
According to the letter, the Chief of Staff became aware of a press conference allegedly addressed by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi on June 25, 2026, which was subsequently published across print, electronic and social media platforms.
The solicitors argued that the statements made during the briefing were “false, malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation,” alleging that they were deliberately intended to portray Gbajabiamila as corrupt, dishonest, criminally liable, morally bankrupt, administratively incompetent, a murderer and unfit for public office.
Among the allegations referenced in the legal notice were claims that the Chief of Staff demanded 48 per cent of the alleged take-off grant of an organisation identified as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, collected ₦400 million through proxies in relation to appointments into the organisation, intimidated individuals and media organisations through abuse of office, manipulated the budget process, influenced security agencies, performed official duties under the influence of intoxicating substances, engaged in corruption and abuse of office, and participated in murder and an alleged criminal cover-up.
Pinheiro LP dismissed all the allegations as entirely false, defamatory and unsupported by any credible evidence.
The firm maintained that Gbajabiamila had never met, spoken with or maintained any official or personal relationship with Prince Adeyemi, insisting that this further demonstrated the baseless 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.
According to the solicitors, the publication had caused substantial reputational damage to the Chief of Staff by exposing him to public ridicule, diminishing confidence in his office and harming his image both within Nigeria and internationally.
The legal team further criticised Prince Adeyemi for choosing to publicise the allegations instead of presenting them before the appropriate investigative or judicial authorities.
Pinheiro LP also linked the allegations to an ongoing criminal case involving Prince Adeyemi before the Federal High Court.
According to the letter, the defendant is currently standing trial in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, titled FRN v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & Ors, over allegations relating to forgery, including the alleged falsification of an appointment letter and presidential letterhead documents purportedly indicating that he had been appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The law firm argued that several of the issues raised during the press conference were already the subject of judicial proceedings.
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 further claimed that the publication generated widespread attention, prompting associates, political allies and members of the public to contact Gbajabiamila while questioning his integrity and reputation.
As part of its demands, Pinheiro LP instructed Prince Adeyemi to immediately cease making or publishing further defamatory statements concerning the Chief of Staff.
The legal team also requested the immediate removal of the press conference, transcripts, videos, recordings and all related publications from every platform under his control.
In addition, the law firm insisted on the publication of a full, unequivocal and unconditional retraction and apology admitting 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 every platform where the allegations appeared and across all social media channels used to disseminate the statements.
The solicitors further demanded a written undertaking confirming that no similar allegations would be made in the future.
Pinheiro LP warned that failure to comply within 72 hours would leave its client with no option but to commence legal action without further notice.
The proposed legal action would include a criminal complaint for alleged criminal defamation under the applicable laws of the Federal Capital Territory.
In addition, the firm said it would institute civil proceedings seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages, which, according to the letter, would be donated to charity or charities selected by Gbajabiamila.
The suit would also seek a perpetual injunction restraining Prince Adeyemi from making any further defamatory publications against the Chief of Staff and a mandatory order compelling him to publish a retraction and apology.
