President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday stumbled and fell during a ceremonial march-past organised for his reception at the parade ground in Türkiye.
The incident occurred as the President joined the guard of honour, drawing momentary attention before the programme continued without disruption.
A video posted on X by Turkish digital news platform Nefes Gazetesi shows Tinubu walking alongside his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, before he stumbled and fell to the ground.
He was quickly assisted by the Secret Service. This has sparked reactions across social and traditional media platforms.
However, the Presidency on Tuesday played down reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tripped during a reception in Ankara, Türkiye, describing the incident as a minor stumble that did not in any way disrupt his official engagements.
Reacting privately to the incident, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President merely stepped on an object on the floor and momentarily lost his balance.
“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 the fleeting incident”, Onanuga said.
He stressed that the development was neither serious nor consequential, adding that the President remained unharmed and continued with his scheduled programme.
“It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall,” Onanuga added.
Officials around him on the trip have said President Tinubu remained fully engaged in his official activities in Ankara, holding meetings and participating in events lined up for the state visit, which is aimed at strengthening diplomatic, economic, and strategic ties between Nigeria and Türkiye.