The Presidency has explained the reason President Bola Ahmed Tinubu briefly stumbled during an official engagement in Turkey, saying the incident was accidental and not related to his health.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, addressing enquiries on Tuesday, said the President lost his balance after stepping on a metal object on the floor.
“The President stepped on a metal on the floor, which made him lose his balance,” Onanuga said.
The incident occurred in Ankara, the Turkish capital, while Tinubu was walking alongside his host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during a state reception.
Before the moment, Tinubu had inspected a guard of honour parade as part of the official welcome ceremony.
A review of the viral video showed that the President went down shortly after a cameraman moved a tripod stand close to his path. However, Onanuga maintained that it was merely a minor stumble.
“This is not a big deal, except for those who want to make mischief out of a fleeting incident. It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall,” he said.
Sources within the Presidency also confirmed that the incident was purely accidental and unrelated to Tinubu’s health.
Reacting on social media, the President’s aide, Dada Olusegun, said Tinubu continued with his engagements as scheduled immediately after the incident.
He added that the President participated in a joint press conference with Erdogan following their bilateral meeting.
Similarly, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said the President remained in good condition and fully engaged in official activities.
“President Tinubu, after a stately welcome ceremony in Ankara, proceeded to scheduled bilateral meetings with the President of Türkiye and other senior government officials from both countries,” Dare said.
“No injury was recorded, and the President went on to participate fully in the rest of the scheduled programme.”
The Presidency also dismissed public speculation surrounding the incident, saying there was no cause for alarm, and stressing that the President is hale and hearty.
Tinubu is in Türkiye as part of Nigeria’s ongoing diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in trade, investment, defence cooperation, and infrastructure development.
According to Onanuga, the visit also reciprocates President Erdogan’s state visit to Nigeria in October 2021.
“The visit is aimed at strengthening the existing cordial relations between the two countries and exploring further areas of cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation,” he said.
The trip will also feature a business forum bringing together investors from both countries to explore new areas of partnership.
Also Read: Türkiye visit focused on security, investment, bilateral gains – Bwala
