Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has defended the president’s slip during the Democracy Day event at Eagle Square in Abuja on Wednesday.
Recall that President tinubu slipped and fell while boarding the parade vehicle at the 2024 Democracy Day celebration. The incident occurred shortly after the president arrived at the venue. Despite momentarily losing his footing, Tinubu quickly regained his balance and continued with the proceedings without further issues.
The incident has sparked various reactions from Nigerians. In response, Onanuga took to his X platform account to defend the president, stating that the fall should not overshadow the significance of the Democracy Day celebration. He emphasized that such incidents are human and can happen to anyone, including political leaders.
Onanuga drew a comparison with former American presidents, noting that even younger leaders like Barack Obama experienced similar slips while in office. He wrote, “President Tinubu is not a Superman. He is human like all of us. President Biden has had several slips in the last three years. Even the younger Barack Obama slipped while President. Political leaders are human. Slipping should not detract from the import of Democracy Day celebration.”
Onanuga’s defense aims to refocus attention on the importance of the Democracy Day event and the progress it represents for Nigeria, rather than the minor mishap involving the president.