The former Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni, has debunked the plans to travel to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa.

A report had earlier emerged that Ayeni planned to travel to Dubai with Bawa to promote what it described as “Tunde Ayeni’s 2023 political interests”.

The report was later dismissed on Friday by the EFCC Chairman, saying he won’t submit to blackmail or act in any way predetermined or teleguided by private interests.

Bawa stated that there is no truth in the report that he is on a clandestine and self-serving mission abroad with Ayeni.

READ ALSO: EFCC Chair: I won’t submit to blackmail of private interests 

In his reaction to the report, Ayeni, in a statement issued on Friday by his media adviser, Ademola Adedoyin, said: “So many high net worth individuals have become victims of fake news in recent times, so we have taken this as one of the hazards of being in the public glare.

“Dr Tunde Ayeni is in Abuja, carrying on with his legitimate business activities with no immediate plans to embark on any trip to Dubai or any other country at that for now.

“Of course, as an international businessman, if there’s any reason for him to travel, he will do so as a free citizen of this country.

“Dr Ayeni remains unperturbed by all the futile efforts by his detractors and mischief makers to smear his reputation as he remains focused on his daily pursuit of contributing his quota to the nation’s economic growth and development,” Adedoyin stated.

The Star