The principle of HOPISM, a political pressure group, now defunct, initiated by a famous entrepreneur, philanthropist and business mogul, Evang Myke Ikoku is anchored on leadership sanity, good governance and accountability, etc.

No wonder the slogan of the group is: “Where Governance Meets With The People”. The questions yet to be answered are: Was the motive under which HOPISM was formed met by the government? Did the APC government in the state ever allowed governance to meet with the people? The answer to these questions is No.

It therefore becomes worrisome and deceitful for one to continue to project and propagate an idea after all efforts to let the benefactor at its behest the ideology was set up to comply to its modus oparandum failed. From all indications, the government of APC did not convince the imitator hence rejigged in all Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into.

It is only a fool, who is selfish and greedy unlike a Evang Ikoku that would have continued to push the HOPISM mantra forward after his visions and expectations for government to affect the masses positively was rebuffed. This could be the reason the founder, Evang Ikoku withdrew his interest and support from government, hence the shorting down of HOPISM.

A look at the manner in which Evang Ikoku dumped the HOPISM ideology due to government’s insincerity to render good governance to the people, the administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma did not find it easy or rosy.

By observation, it therefore appears that his decision to leave the government by jettisoning the HOPISM group must have led to the former invoking its powers, arsenal, animosity and acrimony against Evang Ikoku.

What the Uzodinma’s administration did to Evang Ikoku few days ago can only be described as an unveiling of “accumulated” reprisal attack and vendetta for dumping his government.

The manner in which government’s agents manhandled and rough handled Evang Ikoku, his staff and his business empire like a “common criminal” without respect to a court Order shows how hyper furious and aggrieved the government of Hope Uzodinma is against Evang Ikoku.

Surprisingly, for sometime now, the only thriving public discourse is that Evang Myke Ikoku is working for the APC and the present Hope Uzodinma led administration in the state.

While some say that their conviction to believe or assume that Evang Ikoku is covertly working for the current government of APC in the state is because, he had hitherto convened a political pressure group, “HOPISM” for Governor Uzodinma and his administration.

As Igbo adage puts it, “it is better for the wind to blow, for everyone to know that a Reverend Father wears trouser”. Before government came against Evang Ikoku, all efforts to dissuade or disabuse the minds of the public by convincing them that Evang Ikoku has nothing to do with the APC government of Hope Uzodinma fell on deaf ears, but the current government’s actions against AllSeasons group has summarily vindicated Evang Ikoku.

Those who know Evang Myke Ikoku can attest that he is a man of his words, very principled, disciplined and focused. Aside being an entrepreneur of note, he is also a renowned politician and crack business mogul.

As a focused politician and business man, Evang Ikoku knows when to starts and ends an action especially, when such action is in variance with the expectations and vision of the masses.

It is most absurd and preposterous to assume that having established a business empire worth over N20 billion in his state, Imo and assisted the government to reduce unemployment saga, that Evang Ikoku should not be accorded the needed respect as a major stakeholder in the state.

Regrettably, those who call themselves leaders or stakeholders including the Governor do not have any stake in Imo state. This is because major of their businesses are either cited in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers or Delta State respectively, but in his case, Evang Ikoku resolved to bring his wealth home to assist in the enforcement of the mantra of “Aku Ruo Ulo”.

Prior to the sealing of Mimi place and Havana Cinema respectively over a blotted tax, Evang Ikoku had secured a court order baring the APC administration led by Governor Uzodinma not to demand tax for the period of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic. The order based its decision that during the period, all businesses within the state and the country at large were shut and lockdown.

Painfully, the government outrightly disobeyed this Court order and still went ahead to close down his businesses. What this means is that the state does not respect the law that established it.

However, having passed through the hot needles of the brutal APC administration in Imo state, doubting Thomases and agents of PDP destabilization can now rest and see that Evang Ikoku is strongly opposed to the policies of the government in the state hence, now working for APC except his party, the PDP.

It is unbelievable to accept hook line and sinker with respect to the morons and nonentities that someone like Evang Ikoku could be treated like this if actually, he is working for this government?

The gestapo way the state government’s agents carried out the “illegal” sealing despite court order is an indication that the Hope Uzodinma’s administration has been nursing some acrimony and animosity against Evang Ikoku for a long time.

Report has it that since Evang Ikoku left and dumped the Governor Uzodinma’s government after he discovered that government’s policies were in variance to his genuine vision and conscience to direct and redirect the government aright on the good part to toe; the administration has been targeting him for a reprisal.

The manner in which government’s agents carried out the sealing confirmed the public assumption that it was not only politically motivated but a clear vendetta against Evang Ikoku for leaving or dumping the HOPISM ideology and the administration at large.

This action of government’s brigandage and forceful entry in the state is not only bad, alarming and discouraging owing to the fact that the state is been confronted with debilitating insecurity where hundreds of innocent citizens have died. A situation where government that ought to be protecting the masses engage same masses in fierce battle has much to be desired.

While the insecurity in the state continues to negatively last, the government in power should do everything possible to reduce its escalation.

The issue of using armed security personnel by government’s agents to intimidate and scare the masses should stop if government is indeed genuinely working to ending the security threats in our society today.

By so doing, we shall be expecting Imo of our collective dreams!

Ikenna ONUOHA, Mnipr