A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has fixed November 9, 10 and 13 for commencement of trial in a N15 billion defamation suit filed by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, against Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general of the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The dates were fixed on Thursday by Samira Bature, presiding judge, following a disagreement between counsel over Adeyemi’s request for more time to file his defence.
At the resumed proceedings, Kemi Pinheiro and Olukayode Enitan, counsel to Gbajabiamila, opposed a request by M.P. Usman, Adeyemi’s lawyer, for additional time to file a defence.
Usman told the court that he had filed a memorandum of appearance on Wednesday, October 14, and asked for more time to respond to the suit.
Pinheiro argued that Adeyemi had received the relevant court documents on July 30, 2026, and that the period allowed for filing a defence had elapsed in September.
He maintained that the matter should proceed without further delay because the integrity of a public officer was at stake. Gbajabiamila’s lawyers also asked the court to allocate three dates to enable their client to present and conclude his case.
Samira Bature, presiding judge, subsequently fixed November 9, 10 and 13 for definite trial.
Neither Gbajabiamila nor Adeyemi attended the proceedings. Pinheiro and Enitan appeared for the claimant alongside Jamiu Agoro and Chioma Olisakwe, while Usman represented the defendant.
BACK STORY
Gbajabiamila instituted the suit against Adeyemi over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant allegedly approved for the PFIPC, an agency the presidency has disowned.
Adeyemi had made the allegations during a press conference on June 25, 2026, according to an earlier report by TheCable. He also alleged that Gbajabiamila received N400 million through a proxy in connection with the purported agency.
On July 7, Gbajabiamila, through his counsel, issued a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Adeyemi withdraw the allegations, remove related videos and publications, and publish a retraction and apology in at least five national newspapers and on social media platforms where the claims had circulated.
Gbajabiamila subsequently filed the N15 billion suit, seeking N10 billion in general damages, N5 billion in aggravated damages and N200 million as the cost of the action.
He is also asking the court to compel Adeyemi’s to publish a full retraction and unconditional apology in five national newspapers and display the apology on the relevant social media and online platforms for 30 consecutive days.
In his statement of claim, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting or communicating with Adeyemi or authorising an intermediary to demand or receive money on his behalf.
He also denied demanding any percentage of the alleged grant or receiving money, directly or indirectly, from Adeyemi