The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the federal government to take over MTN, a South African-owned company.
Oshiomhole suggested this in bid to send a strong message to South Africa over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in the country.
Speaking to newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, the APC chairman said Nigeria should no longer sacrifice its national interest just because it wants to play the big brother role.
He said: “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.
“If Nigeria decides at least for the next 30 days to stop using MTN, they would have sent a clear message.
“We should no longer sacrifice our own national interest just because we want to be the big brother of a people that do 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.”
