The Presidency has clarified the circumstances surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s brief slip during an official engagement in Ankara, Turkey, dismissing speculations about his health.
A spokesman to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, while responding to enquiries on Tuesday, explained that President Tinubu momentarily 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 stated.
The incident occurred as President Tinubu was walking alongside his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during a state reception in Ankara. Prior to the incident, the Nigerian leader had inspected a guard of honour as part of the official welcome ceremony.
A review of video footage circulating online showed the President briefly going down after a cameraman moved a tripod close to his path. However, Onanuga maintained that the occurrence was insignificant.
“This is not a big deal, except for those who want to make mischief out of a fleeting incident. It was a mere slip, thank God, not a fall,” he said.
Sources within the Presidency further explained that the incident was purely accidental and unrelated to the President’s health.
Also reacting, the President’s aide on social media, Mr. Dada Olusegun, confirmed that President Tinubu continued with his official engagements as scheduled, including a joint press conference with President Erdoğan following their bilateral meeting.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, assured Nigerians that the President remained in good shape 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.”
Reacting to public speculation, the Presidency stressed that there was no cause for alarm, reaffirming that President Tinubu remains hale and hearty.
President 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 is intended to deepen existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Türkiye and explore further areas of cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation and aviation.
The state visit also reciprocates President Erdoğan’s earlier visit to Nigeria from October 19 to 20, 2021, and will feature a business forum bringing together investors from both countries to explore areas of mutual interest.
