A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has fixed November 9, 10 and 13, 2026, for the commencement of trial in the ₦15 billion defamation suit filed by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, against Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Presiding Judge Samira Bature fixed the dates on Thursday after a disagreement between the parties’ lawyers over Adeyemi’s request for more time to file his defence.
At the resumed proceedings, Kemi Pinheiro and Olukayode Enitan, counsel to Gbajabiamila, opposed the request for an extension made by M.P. Usman, Adeyemi’s lawyer.
Usman told the court that he had filed a memorandum of appearance on Wednesday, October 14, and requested additional time to respond to the suit.
However, Pinheiro argued that Adeyemi had received the relevant court documents on July 30, 2026, and that the time allowed for filing his defence had expired in September.
He urged the court to proceed without further delay, arguing that the integrity of a public officer was at stake. Gbajabiamila’s lawyers also requested three trial dates to enable their client to present and conclude his case.
Bature subsequently fixed November 9, 10 and 13 for the definite hearing of the matter.
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.
Background to Gbajabiamila’s ₦15bn Lawsuit
Gbajabiamila instituted the suit over allegations by Adeyemi that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a purported ₦27.3 billion take-off grant allegedly approved for the PFIPC, an agency the Presidency has disowned.
According to an earlier report by TheCable, Adeyemi made the allegations at a press conference on June 25, 2026. He also alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through a proxy in connection with the purported agency.
On July 7, Gbajabiamila, through his lawyer, 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 the social media platforms where the claims had circulated.
Gbajabiamila subsequently filed the ₦15 billion defamation suit, seeking ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages and ₦200 million as the cost of the action.
He is also asking the court to compel Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and unconditional apology in five national newspapers and display the apology on 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.
The court is expected to begin hearing the case on November 9, with further proceedings scheduled for November 10 and 13.
