The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant approved for a federal agency.
In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 billion as general damages, N5 billion as aggravated damages and N200 million as the cost of the action. He is also asking the court to compel Matthew to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers, and to pin the apology across all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for 30 days.
Gbajabiamila’s legal team, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, of Pinheiro LP, described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.
According to the court processes, Matthew alleged at a press conference that a disagreement arose after Gbajabiamila purportedly demanded a 48 per cent kickback from the agency’s N27.3 billion take-off grant. Matthew further claimed that N400 million had already been paid through a proxy on behalf of the Chief of Staff, while an additional N200 million was required to secure presidential approvals. He also referenced the alleged mysterious death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as the intermediary linking him to Gbajabiamila.
In his statement of claim, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting or communicating with Matthew, or authorising anyone to act on his behalf.
“The claimant has never met the defendant, never held any meeting with him, and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf,” the court filing stated.
(The Sun)