ISAN elects new National Coordinator…As Sir Sunny Nwosu congratulates successor

For the first time in the history of Nigerian shareholders’ group, the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), has recently broken the jinx by becoming the first retail shareholders advocacy group to hold a successful election to choose a successor to the founder of the group.
At the triennial conference of the ISAN in Lagos, delegates of the association from across the country converged in Lagos to benefit from an intellectual conference with the theme: Financial Turbulence and Regulatory Framework in a Recessive Economy,” which was capped with election of new national officers, including a new National Coordinator.
At the keenly contested election, which began at Colonnades Guest House Ikoyi, at about 3 pm and was concluded at 8.30 pm, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi emerged the new National Coordinator, having beaten Mr. Omojola Anthony with a 20 votes margin. Adebisi secured 54 votes, against 34 votes in favour of Omojola. A total of 90 votes were recorded in the election that produced the new National Coordinator. Two votes were voided.
The newly elected officers will be sworn into office in January 2017, following the December 31, 2016 expiration of the tenure of the serving officers, including the current National Coordinator, Sir Sunny Nwosu.
The elections, which commenced with accreditation of delegates from across the country including, Ibadan, Abuja, Kaduna and Port Harcourt zones among others, led to the election of five principal officers contested by 10 contestants, while seven other positions were returned unopposed.
For the post of General Secretary, Mr. Opara Chukwudi emerged victorious with 64 votes, against 22 votes secured by Vincent Christy, while Olukoya Seun, was elected the new Assistant General secretary of ISAN with majority votes of 51, against 35 garnered by Usman George.
Mr. Chuks Nwosa was elected the new Provost of ISAN, while Moses Igbrude was elected to occupy the post of Publicity Secretary. Nwosa secured 49 votes, against his opponent, Sunday Orji who secured 37 votes, while Igbrude secured 57 votes, against 31 votes secured by his opponent, Mr. Eke Chibuzo.
In his post-election speech, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, Director, Computer Warehouse Group commended the ISAN for holding successful elections, even as he called on other associations to emulate the standard set by ISAN.
Ijewere, who is also Chairman, Board of Trustees of ISAN, said that though he had been at the receiving end of ISAN’s advocacy activities, he commended the association for upholding and protecting the rights of retail shareholders, as well as advancing the course of transparency in the Nigerian capital market space.

Ijewere, a past President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), past President, – Accounting Bodies of West Africa (ABWA), past President, Institute of Directors (IoD), said that Nigeria is regarded as one of the countries in the world that has one of the most educated, versatile, vibrant shareholders’ associations of which ISAN occupies a prominent position.
“No matter what anyone says, Nigeria is a great country of hope, after night, there will be day,” he said.
Sir Nwosu, the National Coordinator, who will be relinquishing his office at the end of 2016 lauded the members for the peaceful and credible elections which produced his successor, and other principal officers. He congratulated the national Coordinator- elect, Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, urging him to continue with the good works and good standards set by his predecessor.
While promising to give his unalloyed support to the newly elected officers of the association, he urged other members to extend the support given to his administration to the newly elected officers as they work towards lifting the Nigerian economy as a watch dog on corporate governance and due process by listed companies.
He promised to render his advisory roles to the executive whenever he is required to do so, and also to ensure that companies set up by ISAN grow to become a major economic leverage to its shareholders as well as sustaining best practices.