Nisa-Today's had been hoping for a quiet 2007 following the chaos that surrounded the collapse in 2006 of its proposed merger with Costcutter.

For a while it appeared that peace had broken out between the rebel Nisa Members' Association, led by Mark Proudfoot and Ian Hunt, and the board, led by chairman Edwin Booth and chief executive Neil Turton. But it didn't last.

Booth stepped down in April and the board released a statement critical of the NMA, claiming its activities had been "largely counterproductive". The NMA reacted furiously to the claim, and to Nisa's decision to go back on a promise to accept NMA man Anjum Khan on to the board, arguing that Nisa had returned to "its old autocratic way".

Hostilities ceased once more in June when the NMA announced it was to disband, but the harmony was short-lived and the soap opera was back in full swing in November.

In the run-up to the agm, the supposedly disbanded NMA polled Nisa members on their views about the company and four rebels launched an audacious bid for election to the Nisa board. Members were targeted with vitriolic emails from all sides attacking both Nisa and the rebels.

In the end, the rebels' hopes were left in tatters. A record number of members voted, emphatically opting in favour of the loyalists. Describing the agm as a turning point, CEO Neil Turton said it was time to get back to business and Hunt promised NMA leaders would get behind the board.

The NMA was officially dissolved last month and Nisa is now bedding in its new board. A new business plan will be presented to the board in March.

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