Fashola: Buhari is like a coach who sits for 90 minutes, Tinubu joins the players on the field
By Ayodele Oluwafemi
L-R: President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a warm handshake with President Buhari
Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, says the leadership styles of President Muhammadu Buhari and President-elect Bola Tinubu vary.
Using football managers as an example, Fashola said Buhari is like a coach who prepares his team for the game and sits in the dugout for 90 minutes — while Tinubu is the type of gaffer who gets involved with the team’s activities on the field.
The minister worked under Tinubu as the chief of staff in Lagos state and succeeded the president-elect as Lagos governor.
Fashola is presently a two-term minister in the administration of Buhari.
Speaking on Sunday in an interview with Channels Television, the minister asked those planning to work in Tinubu’s government to be prepared, saying the former Lagos governor is “very nocturnal”.
“I was his (Tinubu) chief of staff for four and a half years. I took over from Lai Mohammed,” he said.
“In terms of controlling Asiwaju’s schedule, that was a tough task because he has day and night schedules.
“For those who are going to work with him, he is very nocturnal. I hope he changes. He will wake you up at night. He does his best work in the dead of the night. Unless you push back and claim your space at night, he will encroach it.
“He is very detailed. He micromanages — more than President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I was speaking with somebody and I said imagine there are two football coaches; President Muhammadu Buhari is the type of football coach that will prepare his team, sit in the dugout and watch them play for 90 minutes.
“He (Buhari) trusts them to do the work and believes there is nothing he can do.
“Asiwaju will be that kind of coach playing the game with them (players) on the field.”
The minister added that Buhari did not interfere in his ministry over the last eight years.
