The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take steps to immediately nationalize South African telecommunications giant, MTN, Igbere TV reports.
The party also advocated stringent measures against Multichoice (DSTV), Standard Chartered and Stanbic IBTC Banks, as well as other South African businesss in Nigeria.
National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, made the call after a meeting of the APC National Working Committee (APC), at the party’s headquarters, in Abuja.
He accused the South African government of backing the wave of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in the country, declaring that Africa can no longer be the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy.
The former labour leader said the party has now given the needed support for President Buhari to go on “the offensive”, in order to sound a note of warning to other African countries who may want to copy the antics of the South Africans.
Oshiomhole said: “Having listened to all the explanations from the authorities in South Africa, these people (Nigerians) are neither being accused of being irregular migrants nor are they involved in any illegal activities. Those who have business permits to setup businesses whether they are petty traders or small manufacturers, they are operating within the letters of the laws of the South African nation.
“South African companies are making billions of dollars from the Nigerian economy year in year out and repatriate same out of Nigeria. MTN was recently in the stock market and some Nigerians bought shares in MTN but in a moment like this and in order to send a very strong message to South African authorities and the South African people, we call on the Nigerian government to take steps to take over the remaining shares of MTN that are owned by South Africa so that MTN becomes fully Nigeria owned.
“Many Nigerians believe that Shoprite is owned by South Africans; they are repatriating money purely from the franchise, both the capital with which these shopping malls are built are Nigeria’s, the shop owners are Nigerians. This imposes an obligation on the government to review any agreement that gives South Africans the right to begin to develop a monopoly in our commercial lives. APC chairman said.
“We also know that Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic Bank, are all South African Banks, Nigerians may have more shares there if any. It is time to ask them to wind up so that Nigerian Banks will take advantage of their departure and expand their operations. We have enough to save by transferring these businesses to Nigerians”.
