ABUJA — The Presidency has played down concerns over a brief stumble involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during an official welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, describing the incident as harmless and insisting there was no cause for alarm.
A short video that circulated on social media showed the President momentarily losing his balance while walking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a ceremonial reception marking the commencement of his state visit.
The footage appeared to show President Tinubu missing a step, prompting nearby officials to quickly move in to assist him. He was immediately helped back on his feet and proceeded with the ceremony without any further issues.
Presidential aides have since clarified that the President was in good health and that the incident did not disrupt the day’s scheduled activities.
Speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, confirmed that President Tinubu was fine, noting that he was actively engaging the press shortly after the ceremony.
“The President is currently addressing the press; he is fine,” Bwala said.
Similarly, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to reassure Nigerians that the President was in excellent condition.
In a post titled “President Tinubu in great shape as state visit proceeds smoothly,” Dare stated that following the ceremonial welcome in Ankara, President Tinubu moved on to scheduled bilateral meetings with President Erdoğan and other top Turkish government officials.
The Presidency emphasized that the visit, which is part of ongoing diplomatic engagements between Nigeria and Turkey, continued smoothly and without interruption.
Presidency Dismisses Concerns Over President Tinubu’s Brief Stumble in Turkey
