21st December, 2023

ISPON RECONCILIATION – JOURNEY SO FAR 2

PREAMBLE

Sequel to the earlier publication on the administrative crisis in ISPON title “ISPON
Reconciliation – Journey so far”, the Media Committee of the Mr. Kaizer Ebiwari
led ISPON explained how the journey of reconciling the two factions of ISPON
had been a one-sided affair. Members of the Institute were informed about the
Joint Reconciliation Committee, the meeting held by the Committee, agreement
reached and how Mr. Kaizer led ISPON had stuck to the agreement and
implemented it to the fullest. The publication also outlined the constraints to the
reconciliation agenda by persons on Pastor Uzamere led ISPON and how they did
unimaginable things and wrote frivolous petitions to truncate programs aimed at
putting ISPON in line with the newly created OSH desk in the MDAs. It is
saddening to admit here that the reconciliation effort was, to a large extent a
failure. We make bold to state here that the failure is due to Pastor Uzamere’s
inability to fully take hold the reins of power on his side, thereby giving room to a
few selfish elements to truncate the reconciliation process by their petitions and
propaganda. This publication is therefore aimed at informing members of the
Institute on steps taken in line with the decision of the Annual General Meeting
AGM held on 26th April, 2023 that a joint election between both factions was
agreed for December, 2023 after Pastor Uzamere led ISPON’s AGM in
October/November, 2023.

REASONS FOR PARTIAL FAILURE OF RECONCILIATION

The partial failure of the reconciliation effort could also be attributed to the
seeming insincerity of Pastor Uzamere to see the reconciliation through. This
conclusion became inevitable because he had been the direct beneficiary of the
various petitions and propaganda by the highly egocentric elements on his side.

• It was agreed at the Joint Reconciliation Committee meeting held on April

15, 2023 that both sides should use their Annual General Meeting (AGM) of
the year to inform their members about the reconciliation and not to
conduct election till a proposed joint AGM to be scheduled sometimes in
December, 2023 for that purpose. But Pastor Uzamere led ISPON claimed
 to have conducted elections at their AGM held in Abuja on 30th October,
2023 in total disregard of the April 15, 2023 agreement.
• The Pastor Uzamere led ISPON refused to pull down the defamatory post
on the home page of their website, www.ispon.gov.ng against Mr. Kaizer
Ebiwari, Chief Stephen Udezi and Mr. Benson Adam-Otite in recognition of
the reconciliation agreement, which goes to show that Pastor Uzamere
does not have control over the website even as the acclaimed President of
his side.
• Also, in total disregard to reconciliation agreement with the Mr. Kaizer led
ISPON, Engr. Timothy Iwuagwu, who had all along been a strong supporter
of Pastor Uzamere, claimed in a publication that he was the President
following an election purported to have been held in obedience to a
purported court order for him to hold election.
• A purported committal case instituted very recently against Dr. Malgwi
Yusuf Haruna, Chief Ajobo Uni Edward, Mr. Benson Adam-Otite, Mr. Kaizer
Ebiwari and Chief Stephen Udezi at the FHC, Umuahia also goes to show
the insincerity of those on Pastor Uzamere’s side regarding the
reconciliation efforts by Mr. Kazer led side. Note that the case has been
overtaken by the judgment of the FHC in Port Harcourt that ordered Dr.
Nnamdi Ilodiuba to stop parading himself as President of the Institute.
• Insistence of Pastor Uzamere to be the President of a Transition Governing
Board was also a drawback on the reconciliation efforts.

SECOND JOINT RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE

Following the partial failure of the first reconciliation effort between Mr. Kaizer
Ebiwari and Pastor Evaristus Uzamere, a second Joint Reconciliation meeting was
called and scheduled by Pastor Uzamere led team for 11th November, 2023.
Kaizer led team was at the meeting, but it was discovered that the composition
of Pastor Uzamere’s team was different from the team that took part in the first
reconciliation meeting of April 15, 2023. That was a strong indication of Pastor
Uzamere’s lack of control and insincerity in the whole process, thereby cewating
an impression of lack of continuity.

At both meetings, the underlisted were the agreement reached but were yet to
be implemented before the emergence of a third faction following the
disintegration of Pastor Uzamere led ISPON.

Agreement at the first meeting held on 15th April, 2023:

1. Withdrawal of court cases: The committee recommended that the two

Presidents shall in writing, instruct their lawyers to withdraw all cases in
the court, before end of April, 2023
 2. Election: That there shall not be any election conducted by either party
until a unified general election at an agreed AGM, which shall take place
before the end of the year 2023.

That this agreement by the committee shall be communicated to all members

in each of the party’s AGM. For this purpose, the lawyers of each party shall
invoke the Doctrine of Necessity in the agreement.

3. Unified General Election: There shall be an Election Committee

comprising of four (4) members each from both parties.
4. Avoidance of Detrimental Acts: Each party shall restrain themselves
and their members whether individually or collectively from any act capable
of discrediting the other party while this reconciliation is ongoing.

Not one of the above agreements was implemented by Pastor Uzamere led
ISPON.

Agreement reached at the second meeting. This agreement also contained what
the Committee referred to as “Road map to One ISPON” which spelt out the
action parties and timeline for implementation.

1. All court cases should be withdrawn with documentary evidence before 15 th

December, 2023.
2. The two (2) Presidents (Mr. Uzamere and Mr. Kaizer) should within five (5)
working days issue a press statement or press release in a signed
document stating that the two parties have resolved to end the lingering
crises in the Institute. Members of ISPON, other stakeholders and general
public should be advised to disregard any attempt in whatever pretense to
misinform them in a bid to derail the ongoing peace process.
3. The Process of integrating the two Governing Boards should commence
immediately.
4. Discussions were held on who should be President and Deputy President of
the unified ISPON without consensus. The Committee therefore made the
following recommendations:
I. That both Presidents should dialogue and agree on who becomes the
President and Deputy President of the unified ISPON.
II. That one of the Presidents should head the Institute for a period of
one year while the deputizes him and thereafter ascend the
Presidency for the next two years.
III. That one of the Presidents should head the Institute for two years
while the other deputizes him and thereafter ascend the Presidency
for next two years.
 NOTE: It was further agreed that the above would be implemented under
Doctrine of Necessity where the provisions of the ISPON Act 2014 are
affected.

WAY FORWARD

Though the attitude of the leadership of Pastor Uzamere led faction has been
highly discouraging, Mr. Kaizer led ISPON is undaunted. The leadership of Mr.
Kaizer led ISPON has therefore concluded on the following way forward for the
achievement of one united ISPON.

➢ Pursue the reconciliation to logical conclusion in order to give the Institute

the needed decorum devoid of embarrassment for us to continue the
reconciliation process.
➢ ⁠All branch Chairmen to sensitize members the leadership crisis in the
Institute and suggest solutions before the next AGM.
➢ ⁠Hold AGM on 26th and 27th April 2024 to conclude the tenure of the present
GB.
➢ ⁠Keep exploring all available, including conferring with the elders of the
Institute towards the achievement of ONE ISPON. In that regard, Mr.
Kaizer led ISPON has accepted to attend a meeting of all the factions called
by Dr. Nicholas A. Okere that has been scheduled for Monday, 17th
January, 2024.

Members of the Institute are hereby enjoined to exercise patience while all hands
are on deck to unravel the mystery behind the protracted crisis bedeviling our
dear Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria.

Kaizer G. Ebiwari
President