Your insults on 83-year old KPU President disappointing— Pharm. Bioku Rahman knocks SDP Reps candidate, Ona-ara

A prominent indigene of Kisi in Irepo local government area of Oyo State, Alhaji Bioku Rahamon has expressed disappointment over the outburst of a former Federal lawmaker and candidate of SDP in the next general elections, Hon Afeez Onaara who dragged the name of President of Kisi Progressive Union (KPU) in the mud.

Onaara had hit out at the authority of the apex group (KPU), the umbrella body of all Indigenes of Kishi both home and abroad by issuing threats to form a splinter faction.

Reacting, Bioku Rahamon said it was appalling, shameful and embarrassing for someone like Onaara who had benefitted immensely from KPU in the time past to come out publicly to condemn, abuse and malign the President of Kishi Progressive Union. His words:

“I saw with dismay and utter disappointment a video clip circulated in the media showing Hon. Afees Adelowo Onaara addressing his supporters in Kishi yesterday. 

“I recognize that everybody has freedom of speech and as such that Hon. Onaara is entitled to his opinion just like any other citizen of this country.

“I later forwarded the video clip to him to confirm the authenticity of the viral video which he confirmed to be true. 

“As a candidate, he’s free to canvass for votes anywhere within the constituency he wishes to represent. The area of the video clip I have cross with is where he publicly condemn, abuse and malign the President of Kishi Progressive Union.

“Hon. Onaara just like any other person has a right to create or join any association or union but I think he’s knowledgeable enough to know that he cannot name his own Union, KPU because it’s a registered union under Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a legal entity. 

“It is not in the culture of Africans for somebody of his age to abuse an 83years old man. This is not what we are.

“President of KPU is the head of all indigenes (home and abroad) and as an institution that we are all proud of, any attack on such institution is an attack on the generality on all Kishi people.

“I exchanged chats with Hon. Afees Onaara and advised him to apologize and withdraw the video clip, up till this moment, he’s yet to do so.

“Going back the memory lane, secession from KPU is not new if Hon. Onaara is old enough to know the story. KIDA was established and we all know what it end was.

“So, I have no quarrel with having multiplicity of union or association so far as they are not created as an agent of disunity and not an off-shoot of enmity.

“No politician apart from Hon. B. A Fadairo and Late K. G Salami has ever enjoyed the tremendous support from the community as did Hon. Onaara.

“When Hon. Onaara was nominated to represent Old Irepo Federal Constituency in 2011 by the then Governor, Late Otunba Christopher Alao-Alaka, members of his political party did not want to support him. It took the efforts of some well-meaning Kishians to convince his members of his party (PDP) to support him because they felt he was imposed on them by the Governor.

“A stakeholder meeting was held where Late Hon. Micheal Ojo told us point-blank that Hon. Onaara was not a marketable candidate but because of the urge not to loose the opportunity of getting Kishi represented at the Federal House of Representative after a long wait we prevailed on some politicians irrespective of their political party affiliations to support Hon. Onaara and he won.

“Because this favoured him, he did not complain. At a point, some candidates showed interest to contest for the same post, KPU asked them to step down their ambitions, Hon. Onaara did not complain. The only candidate that was reluctant to step down was then Dr. Salihu Abdulwaheed Adelabu (Abdul one). This happened during the late Baba Mustapha Susan as the KPU National Chairman.

“KPU later summoned Abdulone to a meeting and was publicly informed that he should withdraw from the race or he would not enjoy the support of KPU. No dust was raised.

“When the election was nullified and a re-run election was to take place, the entire community supported him.

“I was an active participant as I called a meeting between Hon. Onaara and Hon. Kazeem Ayandoye to prevent the annulment, I am sure Hon. Onaara will remember what transpired at the private meeting held in my office in Ilorin.

“Most of the politicians who are calling for heaven to fall today were on the side of Hon. Lanre Agoro from Igboho. It took the singular efforts of the Unique Frontliners to convince the opposing parties then including the then sitting Oyo State ALGON Chairman (Hon. Popoola Yekeen) to go the side of the community. 

“Hon. Popoola Yekeen is alive today, I personally engaged him in a hot debate before he finally agreed to be on the side of the community and true to his promise, he informed his principal Late Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of blessed memory that TI ILU NI AMASE.

“Late Prof. J. D. Adeniyi was engaged by the Unique Frontliners for a whole week to do a house-to-house campaign for Hon. Onaara and was at home together with the present President of KPU, Baba Bayo Adesope, who Hon. Onaara is now publicly condemning.

“No candidate is strong or big enough to pocket KPU or Palace as unwittingly asserted by Hon. Onaara.

“For a house of representative member brandishing purchase of vehicle for KPU and Palace as an achievement, in my personal opinion, this is shameful and uncalled for. 

“When several indigenes of Kishi who are not contesting or lobbying for elective posts have done that ten times over. 

“Also surprisingly, no any elder of this community has ever condemned the action of Hon. Onaara up till now for fear of being bullied by uncultured party supporters. 

“We are all writing history and posterity will judge us all.

PHARMACIST BIOKU RAHAMON, FPSN.

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