A South-West socio-cultural group, the Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, on Thursday faulted the N10 billion defamation suit instituted by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, over allegations linked to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, describing the action as a pre-emptive move aimed at frustrating an independent investigation.
In a statement signed by its President, Akin Malaolu, the forum said: “Following the disturbing allegations of bribery and kickbacks levelled against Gbajabiamila, and the government’s avowed commitment to establishing the truth, we are shocked that the Chief of Staff has chosen to threaten defamation suits rather than cooperate fully with efforts to get to the bottom of the matter.”
The forum said it was not opposed to any citizen, including Gbajabiamila, seeking legal redress. However, it questioned the basis of the suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, convener of the PFIPC.
“We fail to see how a defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi can be sustained when security agents have arrested his father in Ogbomoso, Adeyemi himself has been arraigned by the government, and Gbajabiamila continues to feign ignorance of the ongoing investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS),” the statement said.
The group also criticised the Presidency, alleging that it appeared to be shielding the Chief of Staff from stepping aside to face both the civil suit and the criminal investigations.
“We must sound a clear warning: shielding an accused member of the Presidency is dangerous in the eyes of Nigerians and the Yoruba race.
“As leaders of thought in the South-West, we view any attempt to protect Gbajabiamila from resigning as a stain on the Yoruba race and on President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The criminal allegations in question are not matters any responsible government should condone. On the issue of Femi Gbajabiamila’s resignation, we stand firm,” the forum stated.
Gbajabiamila had given Prince Adeyemi 72 hours to retract the alleged defamatory claims made against him during a press conference on June 25, 2026, or face civil and criminal legal action.
The ultimatum was issued through Gbajabiamila’s legal counsel, Pinheiro LP, in a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kemi Pinheiro.
The letter described Adeyemi’s allegations as false, malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation.
The letter warned that failure to comply within 72 hours would trigger both civil and criminal proceedings.
According to the law firm, the civil suit would seek N10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages to be paid to charities of Gbajabiamila’s choice, a perpetual injunction against further publications, and a court order compelling a retraction and apology.
(Ripples)
