The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has denied
speculations that he is in talks with MTN over the $5.2
billion fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC).
His Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr
Laolu Akande, made the denial on Monday.
The
vice president has shares in MTN Nigeria, according to
details of his assets declaration form submitted to the Code
of Conduct Bureau and made public early September.
MTN had said yesterday that it was in talks with the
Presidency, internal security agencies and the NCC about
the fine imposed on it for failing to disconnect the SIM cards
of unregistered subscribers and other users with incomplete
registration.
“The Office of the Vice President is not in talks with MTN
over the issue. If there is any talks at all with the MTN, I
guess the executive body of the government that is
responsible is the NCC”, Mr. Akande said yesterday.
It was reported that a delegation of MTN officials from the
company’s headquarters in South Africa, led by its Chief
Executive Officer, Sifiso Dabengwa, are in Nigeria to plead
for a lower penalty.
NCC gave MTN until November 16 to pay the fine or face
more sanctions including suspension of license.
An NCC official confirmed that the MTN delegation from
South Africa is in the country.
He said, “I can confirm to you that, yes, the MTN big guns
are in the country. They have been in touch with us though
we are yet to meet officially. We have told you we are not
directly in charge of this case again. The office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA) has taken over. Coming to
us may not bring out anything meaningful for them. Yes,
they are putting pressure on us, but we are not going to
yield to it…We are not ruling out any diplomatic settlement.
We believe the Presidency has the final say”.
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