THE Presidency has played down concerns over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health following a brief stumble during a ceremonial reception in Ankara, Türkiye, on Tuesday, assuring Nigerians that the President is in good condition and that his state visit is proceeding as scheduled.
News Point Nigeria reports that the reassurance was given by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who provided an update via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.
According to Dare, President Tinubu moved seamlessly from the ceremonial welcome to his scheduled bilateral engagements with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other top government officials.
“President Tinubu, after a stately welcome ceremony in Ankara, proceeded to scheduled bilateral meetings with the President of Türkiye and other senior government officials,” Dare stated.
The meetings, he said, are focused on strengthening diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Türkiye, while expanding cooperation in critical sectors such as defence and security, trade and investment, energy, and economic development.
The Presidency noted that the smooth continuation of the visit reflects the growing bilateral ties between both countries and underscores Nigeria’s renewed diplomatic outreach under President Tinubu’s administration.
Also addressing public concern, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, explained that the incident was minor and resulted from the President stepping on a metal object on the floor.
“The President stepped on a metal on the floor, which made him lose his balance. 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,” Onanuga said.
A video circulated online by Turkish digital news platform Nefes Gazetesi showed President Tinubu walking alongside President Erdoğan before briefly losing his balance. He was promptly assisted by security personnel, after which the ceremony continued without interruption.
The ceremonial reception, which commenced at about 5:00 pm local time, featured the playing of the Nigerian and Turkish national anthems, accompanied by a 21-gun salute in honour of the Nigerian leader.
Following the formal welcome, both presidents proceeded to a closed-door bilateral meeting, where they discussed issues of mutual national interest and strategies for deepening cooperation between their countries.
President Tinubu’s visit marks his first official trip to Türkiye and comes as a reciprocal engagement following President Erdoğan’s visit to Nigeria in October 2021 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Presidency, discussions during the visit will include political and diplomatic cooperation, as well as shared priorities in finance, communication, trade, and investment. High-level meetings between officials of both countries are expected, alongside the signing of several memoranda of understanding covering scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media, military collaboration, and protocol matters.
A Nigeria–Türkiye business forum is also scheduled as part of the visit, aimed at connecting investors from both countries and unlocking new opportunities for economic growth.
Senior Nigerian officials who received President Tinubu at his hotel in Ankara included the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake; and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd).