Turkish officials dismiss Tinubu stumble as unimportant
The brief stumble by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to Türkiye has been played down by Turkish officials, who reportedly described the media attention in Nigeria as “silly.” Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, shared that Turkish authorities were surprised the incident became a topic in Nigerian media. She emphasized that the visit was celebrated in Türkiye and that the stumble was not covered by Turkish mainstream outlets. Nigerian officials have also urged the public to ignore attempts to sensationalise the event.
What we know
- Abike Dabiri-Erewa stated that Turkish officials were shocked by the attention the stumble received in Nigerian media.
- A Turkish official reportedly called the focus on the incident “silly and mischievous,” noting their excitement about the visit’s success.
- The stumble happened during a ceremonial march-past in Ankara, as President Tinubu joined the guard of honour.
- The incident was not reported by any Turkish TV station, according to a post referenced by Dabiri-Erewa.
- Nigerian presidential aides, including Sunday Dare and Bayo Onanuga, downplayed the incident, stressing that President Tinubu continued his official engagements and remained in good health.
