The Andani family in the Northern region has accused Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of trying to help the Abudus takeover the Gbewaa Palace and perform funeral rite of late Naa Mahamadu Abdulai.

In view of that the family is calling for the dissolution of the committee resolving the Dagbon chieftaincy crises that has persisted for years.

“Indeed, the Otumfuo had earlier, in two separate decisions, maintained that the Funeral of Mahamadu Abdulai would not be performed at the Gbewaa Palace but rather at the place where he died. This position of the Otumfuo was what led representatives of the Mahamadu Abdulai factions to announce a boycott of the mediation process. We therefore express our utter outrage at this sudden u-turn by the Otumfuo,” Basharu Alhassan Dabali, spokesperson for the Andani family said at a press conference on Monday, 25 June 2018.

He continued: “He cannot, and I repeat it, government cannot, the Asantehene cannot enskin Yaa Naa for Dagbon. Dagbon is not for sale. Those who are deceiving them that they are speaking for the Andani family are betrayers, so, they should not try to usurp the powers of the custodians of Dagbon. We have been very patient for a very long time and our patients should not be misconstrued as being weak”.

The family has subsequently announced their withdrawal from the committee with the explanation that the committee’s work is not based on principle, moral authority and integrity to mediate the crisis.

The Abudus and the Andanis have been involved in violent clashes over the years, concerning the rightful person to be installed as chief.