The Abudu royal gate in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute has stated that the way forward to restore lasting peace in Dagbon is to fully implement a roadmap to peace. It has therefore commended calls by the President that the Committee of Eminent Chiefs should resume sittings to facilitate the peace process. According to the Abudu royal family, their decision to return to the negotiation table was based on the supreme interest of the Dagbon state. The Abudus prayed that the committee would appreciate the urgency of the matter and expedite action on the funeral of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai in the Gbewaa palace. Dr. Ziblim Iddi, spokesperson of the Abudu royal gate, emphasized that there was no time for further negotiations and debate on the matter. To this end, he called on the Otumfuo committee to expedite action as the Abudu royal family was no more interested in endless debates on the matter with their brothers from the other divide. He quoted the Supreme Court ruling of 1986, the Memorandum of Agreement of 1987 and the 2006 road map to peace, which supported the performance of the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai at the Gbewaa palace. Dr. Ziblim Iddi, at a press conference at Nanton, reiterated their interest to return to the Committee of Eminent Chiefs sitting at the Manhyia palace in Kumasi as a way of ensuring lasting peace. Welcoming government’s decision to reopen investigations into the murder of the Ya-Na, Dr. Ziblim stated that the Abudus would continue to cooperate with government in its efforts to find the perpetrators of the crime. He however called on government to expand its investigations to cover all those who died in Yendi during the conflict, especially the three Abudus namely Mahama Teenbila, Dahmani Iddi and Shahadu Sibdoo. Explaining their decision to withdraw from the committee meetings last year, the spokesperson said after long periods of deliberations, negotiations and diplomacy, the roadmap to peace document was developed and endorsed by accredited representatives. He explained that the five benchmarks, namely the burial of the overlord of Dagbon, installation of the regent of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, performance of the funeral of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai, performance of the funeral of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and finally the selection and enskinment of a new Ya-Na, were part of the document. He stated that the committee succeeded in implementing the first two benchmarks, which benefited the Andani royal gate. But regrettably however, for five good years, the committee could not implement the third benchmark, which would have led to the organisation of the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai. He lamented that a 14-page petition signed by 17 people from the Abudu Gate on the matter, in January last year, and sent to the Committee of Eminent Chiefs, did not receive acknowledgement. Dr. Ziblim Iddi stated emphatically that the Abudu gate stood by their decision to withdraw from the committee, saying, “We wish to state here for the avoidance of doubt that the statement released in November last year regarding our withdrawal from the peace process was released on behalf of the entire Abudu family”. He noted that Vice president Mahama had opined that the statement the Abudus released did not get the full endorsement of their chiefs, describing the Veep’s statement as not only laughable but totally false and misleading. He however urged the Abudus and Andanis to beware of the over-politicization of the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute and shun politicians who continued to sow seeds of hatred among Dagombas for their selfish and parochial political gains. “We call on Dagombas, Abudus and Andanis to rise up to the challenge of shaming politicians from all political parties whose only agenda is to feed into the emotions of our people to enhance their electoral fortunes,” he noted. Source:Daily Guide-Ghana