Tinubu 'In Great Shape' After Minor Stumble in Turkey — Presidency Rejects Health Rumors as Opposition Misfires

 President Bola Tinubu's brief stumble during a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, has once again ignited health speculation, but a key presidential aide has firmly dismissed opposition-fueled claims of illness, insisting the 73-year-old leader is in excellent health and fully active.

The incident occurred on January 27, 2026, as Tinubu joined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for an official reception at the Presidential Complex. Video footage from the Turkish presidency's official channels showed Tinubu walking past a guard of honor before momentarily losing his balance—described variably as a stumble, slip, or fall—while shifting to his right. Aides quickly assisted him, and the ceremony continued without further disruption.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga addressed the matter directly, attributing the mishap to Tinubu stepping on a metal object on the floor, which caused him to lose 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 stated, emphasizing that the president recovered immediately and proceeded with scheduled bilateral meetings.

Another aide, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, reinforced the message on X (formerly Twitter), posting in all caps: "President Tinubu in great shape as state visit proceeds smoothly." Dare noted that following the welcome ceremony, Tinubu engaged in high-level talks with Erdoğan and other Turkish officials, underscoring the seamless continuation of the visit aimed at bolstering Nigeria-Turkey ties in trade, investment, defense, and security cooperation.

The episode echoes previous public stumbles by Tinubu, including one during Nigeria's 2024 Democracy Day parade in Abuja, where he slipped while boarding a vehicle. Opposition figures and critics have repeatedly seized on such moments to question his fitness for office, often linking them to longstanding rumors about his health. However, the presidency has consistently portrayed these as minor, age-related accidents rather than signs of serious illness.

In this latest case, the dismissal appears to come amid growing opposition narratives portraying the incident as evidence of frailty. Onanuga's clarification aligns with earlier statements downplaying the event as a "mild misstep," with some reports noting sympathy even from opposition quarters, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describing similar past incidents as "unfortunate."

The state visit to Turkey, which began on January 26, 2026, focuses on deepening bilateral relations. Tinubu's delegation includes key figures like Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, Defence Minister Christopher Musa, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. Discussions have highlighted opportunities for enhanced military collaboration, intelligence sharing, and economic partnerships, with Tinubu affirming Nigeria's openness to investment and barrier-free trade.

As the president continues his engagements in Ankara, the presidency urges Nigerians to disregard sensationalism and focus on the diplomatic gains of the trip. The quick rebuttal seeks to shift attention from the momentary slip to the substantive outcomes of Nigeria's renewed outreach under Tinubu's leadership.