President Bola Tinubu had a minor accident at Eagle Square, Abuja, during the Democracy Day celebration in Nigeria’s capital.
The 72-year-old slipped while climbing the steps to an official vehicle that was supposed to take him around Eagle Square. He was assisted to his feet and resumed with the celebrations.
“He immediately went on with the ceremonial rounds. No issues,” wrote Dada Olusegun, a presidential aide.
Earlier in the day, Mr Tinubu had addressed Nigerians via live broadcast on the occasion of Democracy Day, marking 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, the longest run in the West African country and Africa’s largest democracy.
In his speech, Mr Tinubu paid tribute to both deceased and living heroes of democracy who fought for the return to civil rule from military dictatorship. He mentioned several individuals by name, including the late Moshood Abiola, who won the 12 June 1993 presidential election annulled by the military, and Mr Abiola’s wife, the late Kudirat Abiola, who was killed by state agents during the Sani Abacha military dictatorship.
Among the living individuals Mr Tinubu mentioned was activist and former senator Shehu Sani, who was imprisoned for several years during the Abacha dictatorship but is now an opposition politician.
Mr Sani commented on the incident, saying, “Not just President Tinubu, anyone alive can trip and fall; it happened to President Biden and Fidel Castro. Presidents are human beings and mortals.”
One of Mr Tinubu’s main challengers in last year’s presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, expressed sympathy for the fall.
“I sincerely sympathise with President Bola Tinubu over this unfortunate incident as he was set to review the parade on Democracy Day. I do hope that all is well with him,” Atiku wrote.
