Tinubu’s Fall: Garba Shehu Faults Presidency’s Account of Turkey Incident

Garba Shehu, the former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has publicly criticized the Presidency’s handling of the narrative surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent "fall" during an official visit to Turkey. In a statement on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Shehu described the official explanation provided by the current media team as "inconsistent" and harmful to the administration's transparency.

The incident, which occurred during a high-level diplomatic engagement in Ankara, saw the President momentarily lose his footing while approaching a podium. While the Presidency’s media office quickly downplayed the event as a "minor slip" caused by uneven flooring and insisted the President was in perfect health, Shehu argued that the defensive nature of the response has only fueled further public speculation.
According to Shehu, the Presidency’s attempt to "sugarcoat" the reality of the situation creates a vacuum for rumors and misinformation to thrive. He suggested that a more straightforward and professional communication strategy would have better served the President’s image.

“The attempt to rewrite the narrative of a clear physical incident only invites more scrutiny,” Shehu remarked. “In crisis communication, transparency is the best defense. The inconsistencies in the current reports from Turkey do more harm than the slip itself.”

Conversely, supporters of the President have accused critics like Shehu of "over-analyzing" a common human error to gain political relevance.

As the President continues his diplomatic mission in Turkey, the focus remains divided between the strategic outcomes of the trip and the ongoing conversation regarding the health and stamina of the nation's leader.
Do you think the Presidency is being transparent enough about the President's health, or is Garba Shehu right that the narrative is being "sugarcoated"? Share your comments below!

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