The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) Board of Trustees has affirmed disqualification of five contestants in the forthcoming election of the association.
The BOT made this declaration via a statement issued at the end of its meeting.
The statement was made available to journalists on Saturday by its Chairman, Dr Lasisi Balogun.
The BOT in the statement affirmed that the disqualification of five contestants by the electoral committee among who are; Mr. Isaac Akinloye Olagunju – Ibadan Turn Around Group, Noble Olawale Olatunbosun – Noble Friends Club of Ibadan Indigenes, Dr. Badiru Serifat Omolola – Okebadan Elites Lagos, Mrs. Abiola Adegbindin – Ibadan Indigenes Unity Club of Odinjo and Mr Adeola Suleiman Oloko – Afikarahun Forimu Club of Ibadan, stands.
Balogun said that it is the prerogative of the election committee to approve or disqualify aspirants based on constitutional provisions.
He added that the BOT upholds the decisions of the election committee, as they are backed by verified evidence.
He maintained that the election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair.
He encourages the aspirants to exercise patience and remain hopeful for future opportunities.
“The meeting was convened in response to a memo copied to the BoT by a group of aggrieved contestants regarding the disqualification of five aspirants by the 2025 CCII Election Committee.
“The BoT Chairman and members urged all parties, including the aggrieved contestants and the Election Committee, to maintain peace throughout the proceedings. Additionally, the BoT Chairman, Dr. Lasisi Balogun, requested the CCII Secretary General to excuse himself from the meeting due to his status as a contestant.
“The memo listed five disqualified candidates: Mr. Isaac Akinloye Olagunju – Ibadan Turn Around Group, Noble Olawale Olatunbosun – Noble Friends Club of Ibadan Indigenes, Dr. Badiru Serifat Omolola – Okebadan Elites Lagos, Mrs. Abiola Adegbindin – Ibadan Indigenes Unity Club of Odinjo, Mr. Adeola Suleiman Oloko – Afikarahun Forimu Club of Ibadan.
“The first three aspirants neither attended the meeting nor sent any apology or message regarding their absence.
“Claims by the Aggrieved aspirants. Mrs. Abiola Adegbindin. She claimed to be the current President of Ibadan Indigenes Unity Club of Odinjo since 2024, which, according to her, made her eligible for the position of Vice President General 1. However, she alleged that she was unfairly disqualified by the Election Committee based on false claims. In response, Chief (Mrs.) Adeoye Adisa, the recognized President of the club, refuted Mrs. Adegbindin’s claim, stating that she remains the club’s President while Mrs. Adegbindin serves as the Treasurer. She further pointed out that, contrary to CCII’s constitutional requirements, Mrs. Adegbindin bypassed the President’s signature on her election form.
“Mr. Oloko, who was disqualified from contesting for the position of Secretary General, argued that he served as the General Secretary of Afikarahun Forimu Club of Ibadan from 2019 to 2021. He contended that his past role made him eligible for the election and that his disqualification was unwarranted.
“Both candidates remained disqualified, as neither could provide valid records confirming their claimed statuses within their respective clubs, as stipulated in the CCII Constitution (Page 9, Section 2.3 i-iii). Upon investigation, the Election Committee found no verifiable records of: Mrs. Abiola Adegbindin’s status in CCII between 2024–2025. Mr. Adeola Suleiman Oloko’s status in CCII between 2019–2021.
“Letters were sent to the clubs of the disqualified candidates, requesting updated membership and executive records per CCII Constitution (Page 49, Section 8.3.7). However, the clubs failed to provide necessary documentation.
“After reviewing all documents provided by the aggrieved aspirants, their clubs, and the Election Committee, the BoT made the following conclusions: The disqualified aspirants and their clubs failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary for eligibility. The affected aspirants should accept the outcome in good faith, as there will be future opportunities to contest.
“The Election Committee carried out its duties diligently in line with the CCII Constitution. However, the BoT advised on the careful choice of language in future communications. Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse. Henceforth, all clubs must ensure their records are updated with CCII to prevent similar disputes in future elections.
“It remains the prerogative of the Election Committee to approve or disqualify aspirants based on constitutional provisions. The BoT, therefore, upholds the decisions of the Election Committee, as they are backed by verified evidence. The CCII General Election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair. All aspirants are encouraged to exercise patience and remain hopeful for future opportunities.
“A strict warning was issued to all parties to refrain from hate speech, personal attacks, character assassination, and defamatory remarks. CCII remains a unified entity and must be upheld as such. Aspirants/Candidates should focus on promoting their manifestos rather than engaging in negative campaigns against opponents”.
