Stanbic IBTC shareholders seek resolution of issues on 2015 results
Leading capital market investors and pundits have charged the National Assembly to issue a directive to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), to permit Stanbic IBTC’s auditors to present its scorecard to shareholders.
It would be recalled that FRCN, had last year, suspended the bank’s chairman, Atedo Peterside, and other senior officials over alleged accounting irregularities in the bank’s 2013 and 2014 financial statements, which, apparently is stalling the release of the 2015 financial statement.
The bank followers say the inability of the bank to conduct its 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM) to review previous year’s performance is already eroding investors’ confidence in the bank and ultimately affecting its share price in the stock market.
In an interview, the National Coordinator of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr. Boniface Okezie argued that the failure of any bank to present its financial statement to stakeholders can lead to financial instability in the system.
He submitted that whereas the matter is ongoing, FRCN should allow the auditors to do their job. They should allow them to have their AGM and pay dividend.
According to him, “If they allow the bank to present their scorecard, it will not stop you to prosecute and win if the case is in your favour. You cannot hold the bank to ransom. The bank has the right to approve account. FRCN does not have the right to tell the bank not to present its account to shareholders.
“The 2015 account must be presented. Shareholders must discuss the account. FRCN must allow the auditors to do their job. FRCN has told the auditors that if they audit the account, they would not operate as auditors in the market again.
“Is FRCN killing these institutions or promoting their growth? Federal government must call them to order. They should allow the auditors to do their work and present to the account to CBN. It is the bank’s that pays the auditors.
“All these are affecting the bank share price in the stock market. People are insinuating that the bank is not healthy, If not, why is it that they are not holding their AGM and people may not understand that the fault is from FRCN,” he added.
He called for a review of the act that empowers the FRCN, arguing for the need to streamline the operations of the council, especially as it relates to the new regulations.
