The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has made it crystal clear that sentiment will not steer the ship of governance, declaring he remains unmoved by emotional appeals in the line of duty.
Wike’s stance came in response to a public plea by Sarah Omakwu, Senior Pastor of the Family Worship Centre, who had urged him to spare the Jabi Lake recreation area from being handed over for private development.
In a video that rippled across social media, Omakwu, visibly burdened, went on her knees at the pulpit, making a heartfelt appeal to the minister.
“I cannot fight the minister of the FCT. I cannot. But I go on my knees as a mother in this land that Jabi Lake Recreation Centre should not be given to anybody,” she said.
But Wike, speaking during his routine media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, dismissed the emotional overture, insisting governance is not a theatre for sentiments.
“I’m human in this government and you don’t expect everybody to be happy, if majority are happy, then I’m happy. Some people don’t understand what’s going on, you should ask questions.
“You talk about the woman kneeling down and begging, I’m not carried away by such emotions, begging to do what? Who owns Jabi Lake?
“How does it becomes your own? First of all, I came on board that place was given to a company that said they want to turn it to an entertainment place but they have turned it into shanties.
“One of these days I went there and said this can’t be, there is a hotel and who would come to stay in that hotel when there are shanties all over. You don’t know if there are criminals.”
