Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has said he never claimed to have obtained First Class in Law. Kachikwu was reacting to a public
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has said he never claimed to have obtained First Class in Law. Kachikwu was reacting to a publication on Thursday, where it was alleged that he claimed to be a First Class graduate of Law. Taking to his verified Twitter handle, @IbeKachikwu, he said, “In the publication the writer alleged that I, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu misrepresented information about obtaining a First Class Degree from the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka, citing a presentation made at @cozaglobal Abuja. I would like to categorically state the following;
“My official CV and resume is in the public domain and has been submitted to various levels of Government and Parastatals. Also, the document clearly states that I obtained a “Second Class Honours (Upper Division) degree” from the Faculty of Law at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. In addition, no First Class Honours were awarded by the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1978. However, I was on the list for best graduands with Second Class Upper Honours for that year. At no time have I misled the Nigerian public or my colleagues in believing otherwise. In addition, no First Class Honours were awarded by the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1978. However, I was on the list for best graduands with Second Class Upper Honours for that year. At no time have I misled the Nigerian public or my colleagues in believing otherwise.”
He said that his reference to a first class at the presentation to was the effect that, “I had a first class performance in school and was emphasizing on the need for hard work amongst youths to get them to the top of their game. To give credence to the statements made during that presentation, I was the best graduating student in the Nigerian Law School in the year 1979 (the first in class) with multiple prizes (winning 5 out of all 7 prizes given).
“In 1979, the Nigerian Law School had not begun a process of classifying its certificates. That begun many years later. However, best graduands have subsequently now been classified in the First Class category by the Law School. My results in Harvard University, which is captured in my CV correctly states that I was a Distinction graduate for the Master’s degree programme (First in Class) at Harvard University and I went on to obtain my SJD in a record time of one and a half years.
“I have worked at the highest level of the Oil and Gas industry globally for over three decades and indeed lectured at respectable global institutions like University of Ife, Nigerian Law School and Harvard Law School. Since my appointment three years ago, first as GMD of NNPC group, then as GMD/ Honourable Minister of State (HMSPR), and now as HMSPR of FMPRng, I have championed the change agenda in the Petroleum sector and changed the narrative on performance in the sector.”
