The Shonga Emirate Youth Development Association (SHEYDA) has issued a formal apology to the Senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, for any unintended inconvenience or embarrassment caused by a recent statement misrepresenting a courtesy visit to his constituency office.
In a statement jointly signed by Engr. Usman Liman Abdulkadir, the National Secretary of SHEYDA, and Mallam Hassan Adam Danjuma, the association’s Kwara State Chairman, the group clarified that its visit was entirely legitimate, cordial, and development-focused.
The visit, which took place on Thursday, March 24, 2025, was led by SHEYDA’s designated executive members and was warmly received by representatives of Senator Mustapha.
The discussions, according to the association, centered on community development—an area in which the Senator has shown remarkable commitment.
SHEYDA expressed disappointment over what it described as an unfortunate politicization of the visit, stating that attempts to question the legitimacy of the delegation were misleading and unnecessary.
“We are compelled, for ourselves and on behalf of our teeming members, to unequivocally apologize to Senator Saliu Mustapha and his team for any discomfort the unwarranted reaction may have caused,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the association urged political actors to refrain from interfering in its affairs, emphasizing that SHEYDA is a non-partisan organization committed solely to fostering development in the Shonga Emirate.
“As an apolitical community development association, we will continue to engage with institutions, agencies, and individuals whose vision aligns with our objectives. We shall also resist any attempts to drag our noble association into partisan politics,” the statement added.
The apology comes in the wake of controversy surrounding an earlier press release, which appeared to suggest that SHEYDA had distanced itself from any collaboration with the Senator—a claim the association now attributes to misinterpretation and misinformation.
