Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu reacts to fall during Democracy Day celebration

The incident occurred when Tinubu attempted to enter the parade vehicle at Eagle Square in Abuja, missing his step and briefly losing his balance.

Despite the fall, the President swiftly regained his composure and continued with the event without further incident.

In a light-hearted response on Wednesday, Tinubu joked about the mishap, referring to the Yoruba tradition of "dobale," which means to pay homage.

He commented, "Earlier this morning, I had a bit of swagger, and it’s all over social media. People are confused whether I was doing 'buga' or 'Babariga,' but it’s a day to celebrate democracy while doing 'dobale' for the day. As a traditional Yoruba boy, I paid my homage."

The President's humorous take on the incident has been widely shared, adding a personal touch to the national celebration.

One of his aides referred to it as a "mild misstep" and mentioned that the president was able to proceed with the day's schedule.

"He immediately went on with the ceremonial rounds. No issues," posted presidential aide Dada Olusegun on X.

Mr. Tinubu’s main opponent from last year's election, Atiku Abubakar, conveyed his condolences.

“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,” he wrote on X.

The June 12 celebration, which commemorates the declaration made by former President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2018, marks Nigeria's Democracy Day in honor of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

This date replaced the previous Democracy Day, which was celebrated on May 29.