The Presidency has explained the brief fall involving President Bola Tinubu during a ceremonial welcome reception in Ankara, Turkey, attributing the incident to a poorly laid carpet at the venue.
The incident occurred on Tuesday as President Tinubu took part in a march-past alongside his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the presidential complex. Video footage that has since gone viral shows the Nigerian leader momentarily losing his footing while walking beside his host, causing him to stumble before being quickly assisted by security personnel. He immediately regained his balance and continued with the programme without further disruption.
Reacting to the incident, the Presidency dismissed any health concerns, stating that the slip was caused by a faulty blue carpet
Dada Olusegun, the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, confirmed that President Tinubu went on with his official engagements seamlessly. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Olusegun said the president continued with his bilateral meetings with President Erdoğan as planned.
“Mr President missed his step very briefly and has continued his bilateral meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A live press conference is happening immediately after the bilateral,” he wrote.
The Presidency reiterated that the incident did not in any way disrupt the state visit, assuring Nigerians that President Tinubu remains in good health and high spirits as he carries out his official duties in Turkey.
