You Saw How He Embarrassed The World By Saying That Inflation Has Come Down To 15 Percent –Kenneth Okonkwo

According to a report by Daily Post on Friday, January 2, 2026, Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, spoke on national television while appearing on the programme ‘Sunrise Daily’, where he criticised President Bola Tinubu over statements made in the New Year message delivered to Nigerians.

Okonkwo reacted to the address on Friday, focusing on claims made by the president about the direction of the economy in 2026.

He said the message raised concerns about the administration’s assessment of its performance so far and questioned the accuracy of some of the figures presented to the public during the broadcast.

In his response, Okonkwo explained that the president’s reference to the coming year suggested that meaningful economic progress had not yet begun under the current administration, despite the length of time already spent in office.

He said, “First of all, he said 2026 marks the beginning of a more robust phase of economic growth. I was offended by that phrase, ‘the beginning.’ Almost three years into the regime of a government. Obviously that’s an admission of failure, because he has actually not begun anything.”

He further clarified that his concern centred on the wording used in the message, arguing that describing 2026 as a starting point created doubts about achievements recorded since the government assumed office.

According to him, the expression “the beginning.” suggested that earlier expectations of progress had not been met.

Okonkwo also addressed the president’s comments on inflation, explaining that he disagreed with the figures cited and believed they did not reflect everyday economic realities faced by Nigerians.

He said, “You saw how he embarrassed the world by saying that inflation has come down to 15%. Let me state that clearly as a white lie. Before Tinubu came in, the highest he could pay of flight ticket from Abuja to Enugu was N57,000.”

He expanded on this point by linking inflation data to living costs, using transportation fares as an example of expenses that, in his view, have increased rather than declined.

He maintained that such costs provide a practical way for citizens to judge whether economic indicators align with their daily experiences.

The comments formed part of a broader critique of the New Year address, as Okonkwo maintained that public communication from the presidency should accurately reflect conditions on the ground, his remarks were made during the live discussion and focused solely on the content of the president’s message and its implications for public understanding.

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