Xenophobia:Take over South African-Owned Businesses- Oshiomhole to FG

In a bid to send a strong message to the South African authorities, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Adams Oshiomole, has called on the Federal Government to take over the South African businesses in Nigeria.

Oshiomhole made the call at the end of an emergency National Working Committee, NWC meeting of the ruling party in Abuja.

According to the former governor of Edo state,“In order to send a very strong message to South African authorities and the South African people, it is worth it for the Nigerian government to take steps to take over the remaining shares of MTN that are owned by South Africans so that MTN becomes fully Nigeria-owned.

Adding that, “If Nigeria decides at least for the next 30 days to stop using MTN, they would have sent a clear message,” the party chairman said.

Oshiomhole, who also presided over the previously held APC meeting on Thursday at the party’s secretariat, to discuss the recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals living in South Africa said, there was a need for the Nigerian government to send a strong warning to South African authorities

As part of measures to be taken, he proposed a complete takeover of businesses owned by South Africans in Nigeria.

The APC chairman further requested the government to revoke the licenses granted to banks owned by the South Africans in the country.

According to him, “We should no longer sacrifice our own national interest just because we want to be the big brother of a people that does not recognise the role, the enormous and the huge sacrifices that our country has made over the years to protect and defend the interest of the African continent.

“While South African government is envious of the small businesses which Nigerians are involved in South Africa, South African companies are making billions of dollars from the Nigerian economy year in year out and repatriating same out of Nigeria,” Oshiomhole added.

Meanwhile, MTN and Shoprite are the two major businesses managed by South Africans in Nigeria.