DR. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state, Petroleum Resources have refuted the publications made by premium times concerning obtaining first class honours in the faculty of Law University of Nigeria.
In a letter made available to journalists he wrote;
Re: FACT-CHECK: Document shows Kachikwu lied about graduating with First Class in Law.
My attention has been drawn to a publication on an online medium Premium Times with a title “FACT-CHECK: Document shows Kachikwu lied about graduating with First Class in Law”. In the publication the writer alleged that l, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu misrepresented information about obtaining a First Class Degree from the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka, citing a presentation done at Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) Abuja.
I would like to categorically state the following facts;
1. That 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 Dr. Kachikwu obtained a “Second Class Honours (Upper Division) degree” from the Faculty of Law in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where I
graduated as best student in 1978.
In addition, no First Class Honours were awarded by UNN that year.
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.
2. On the presentation I made at the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) cited by Premium Times, the substance of the assertions was to 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.
3. 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.
4. I have worked at the highest level of the Oil and Gas industry globally for over 3 decades and indeed lectured at respectable global institutions like University of Ife, Nigerian Law School and Harvard Law
School.
5. Since my appointment three years ago, first as Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), then as GMD/Honourable Minister of State, and now as Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, championed the change agenda in the Petroleum sector and changed the narrative on performance in the sector.
I have also taken the liberty to attach my CV that shows all my awards and accomplishments.
Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
