The Kano State Head of Service, Usman Bala, has denied claims insinuating that he was frustrated by some powerful members of Kwankwasiyya to bow out of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) administration.

Besides, those peddling the news alleged that after persistent frustration orchestrated because of loss of confidence in the HoS loyalty to the ruling government, Bala had resorted to bowing out of service unceremoniously having turn in a secret resignation letter.

Bala, is one of the few trusted and close confidant of the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Ganduje appointed Bala as Head of Service in April, 2022 and later elevated his position to serve concurrently as Chief of Staff a month later, a position he occupied until the end of Ganduje’s administration.

Incidentally, Bala was retained to continue serving in his capacity as HoS by the new NNPP government, the position he served until the news of his sudden retirement filtered out without official announcement.

Reacting to the development in a telephone conversation with The Guardian, the former HoS insisted he was neither forced out of the NNPP government non did he resign his position secretly. Although, Bala opined that everyone is entitled to their personal opinion, he however challenged those peddling the news to back their claims with credible evidence.

While setting the record straight, Bala said he has voluntarily retired from the civil service and automatically from his position as HoS after 33 years of service in Kano state civil service. Contrary to insinuation, Bala said he followed all due processes before tendering a retirement notice and that has duly been accepted by the government.

“As a civil servant, you don’t expect me to start calling press conference to say I am going on retirement, no we don’t do that. It is only the government that employ me that has the right of knowledge to know and not a public issue. I have retired from the civil service and as head of civil service after 33 years of selfless service to people of Kano state. It is voluntary retirement. I am not forced to leave the government or retired from government. That is not true. If anyone has evidence they should show that.

On what many considered as betrayal of Ganduje, having accepted to serve in NNPP government, Bala said civil servants are entitled to serve in any administration and remain neutral irrespective of administration. He insisted it wasn’t a crime to serve in both Ganduje and NNPP government.

“On the issue of me serving in Ganduje’s administration and also being retained in NNPP government, that is left for people to interpret. The position of HoS is constitutional and it’s usually supposed for the occupant to remain until the time of retirement. It is a career position and if somebody says I was removed because the government doesn’t want me to remain because of interest, I will say that is a perception.

“I joined the civil service base on my volution and if I want to leave the government will rather accept my position to leave. So, nobody forced me to retire and it is not a crime to serve in Ganduje’s administration and continue service in the NNPP government. All civil servants do the same because we have tenureship and we are required to be loyal and committed to any government of the day.

“Administration will come and go but government will remain. I have served during the military, I was in service when Kabiru Gaya was elected. I was still in government when the military returned and up till 1999 when the civil rule finally came to stay. And since then, I have been in service with all successive government.

“So there is nothing political about my service with successive administrations in Kano it is just unfortunate the way people want to turn it. It is the responsibility of government to tell the press that it has accepted the resignation of the HoS and from then it becomes news. So, people should not expect that from me and if I did not do so, it should not be considered as leaving the service secretly. After all, the retirement letter has been accepted and approved by this administration,” Bala noted.