Democracy Day: Atiku, Sheu Sani, others react to Tinubu’s slip at Eagle Square

Democracy Day: Atiku, Sheu Sani, others react to Tinubu’s slip at Eagle Square

“Not just President Tinubu, anyone alive can trip and fall; it happened to President Biden and Fidel Castro. Presidents are human beings and mortals” – Sheu Sani

President Bola Tinubu slipped and fell over at Eagle Square, Abuja, during the celebration of Democracy Day in the Nigerian capital.

The 72 year-old president fell while climbing the steps to an official vehicle that was to take him round the Eagle Square. He was helped back to his feet and continued with the celebration.

Dada Olusegun, a presidential aide, in response to the incident wrote on X, “He immediately went on with the ceremonial rounds. No issues,”

The Nigerian President had hours before the parade addressed Nigerians via live broadcast on the occasion of the Democracy Day celebration, marking 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, the longest run in the West African country and Africa‘s largest democracy.

Tinubu, in his speech, praised both the dead and living heroes of democracy who fought for the return to civil rule from military dictatorship. He mentioned many by name including the late Moshood Abiola who won the 12 June 1993 presidential election that was annulled by the military and Abiola’s wife, the late Kudirat Abiola, who state agents killed during the Sani Abacha military dictatorship.

Among the living that Tinubu mentioned was an activist and former senator, Shehu Sani, who was imprisoned for several years by the Abacha dictatorship but is now an opposition politician.

Sani, on Wednesday, said the trip by Tinubu was no big deal.

“Not just President Tinubu, anyone alive can trip and fall; it happened to President Biden and Fidel Castro. Presidents are human beings and mortals,” Sani  wrote on X.

One of Tinubu’s main oppositions in last year’s presidential poll, Atiku Abubakar, expressed his 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, a former vice president and the first runner-up in the election, wrote on X.

Among the living that President Tinubu mentioned was an activist and former senator, Shehu Sani, who was imprisoned for several years by the Abacha dictatorship but is now an opposition politician.

 Senator Sani, on Wednesday, said the trip by Tinubu was no big deal.

“Not just President Tinubu, anyone alive can trip and fall; it happened to President Biden and Fidel Castro. Presidents are human beings and mortals,” he wrote on X.

One of Tinubu’s main oppositions in last year’s presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, expressed his 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, the first runner-up in the election, wrote on X.