Kano State Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa, has refuted media reports that the posting of permanent secretaries in the office of Deputy Governor and Ministry for Local Government is linked to the crisis within the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, in the state.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the NNPP crisis had taken a new twist as Governor Abba Yusuf posted out the permanent secretary Special Duties, Aminu Kura, in the Office of the Deputy Governor as well as the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Kabara.
While Mr Kabara was posted to an ‘arid’ Ministry of Special Duties, Mr Kura was posted to the Office of the Head of Service, without a portfolio.
The governor therefore approved the posting of Sadi Ibrahim as permanent secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Deputy Governor and Musbahu Badawi, permanent secretary, Ministry of Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs.
But, in a statement he personally signed, Mr Musa refuted the story as “untrue, false, mischievous and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and cause disaffection within the administration and top government functionaries.”
The Head of Service said the posting of the affected senior civil service officials is part of a standard administrative routine aimed at enhancing efficiency within the state’s civil service.
He added that the decision was to fill the vacancies as a result of the imminent retirements of Permanent Secretaries and Directors affected by the annulled tenure elongation exercise scheduled for December.
“The attention of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State has been drawn to a news story concocted and published by an online news source linking the recent posting of Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the state civil service to a fallacious rift in the ranks of the ruling party in the state.
“The office of the Head of Service, responsible for the recent posting, all other postings and all matters that affect civil servants in the state, categorically refutes the story in its entirety as untrue, false, mischievous and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and cause disaffection within the administration and top government functionaries,” part of the statement reads.
It added; “To set the record straight, the posting of these senior civil service officials is part of a standard administrative routine aimed at enhancing efficiency within the state’s civil service and to fill the vacancies as a result of the imminent retirements of Permanent Secretaries and Directors affected by the annulled tenure elongation exercise scheduled for December.
“This routine posting involved multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and was in no way influenced by any perceived wrongdoing, political considerations or interpersonal issues.
“The allegation suggesting that these routine postings are a reaction to a political rift is purely a figment of the author’s imagination and represents a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. Such baseless insinuations are designed to create disaffection among the governor, his deputy, their supporters, and the broader public, and to sow discord within the ruling party.
“The Office of the Head of Civil Service remains committed to ensuring the smooth operation of the civil service and maintaining a harmonious and productive relationship among all branches of leadership,” Mr Musa said.
He restated the commitment of the civil service in Kano State to remain apolitical, urging the public and media outlets to focus on “verified information and not to give credence to rumors aimed at undermining the stability and progress of our state.”
