Newly elected NPP Third Vice Chairperson Nana Akomea has dismissed suggestions that he boycotted the party’s swearing-in ceremony after finishing third in the vice-chairmanship contest.

He says traffic delayed his arrival at the venue.

Nana Akomea explained that he reached the stadium about 10 minutes after the swearing-in had already taken place.

“They had just introduced the witness and done the swearing. Actually, when we entered the stadium, we heard because we could hear to the radio that the swearing was going on.”

He said he was not at the venue when voting, collation and counting were completed.

“So I wasn’t even there when the voting finished, and for the collation and the counting, for me to go and even speak to anybody.”

Akomea said his agents were present and informed him of the outcome.

“Oh, my agents were there, and then when I got there, the swearing had been done. So I knew I had taken the third position, and I was rushing to go for the swearing-in.”

He also said Nana B, another candidate in the contest, was similarly delayed.

“I don’t know. I think Nana B was caught up in the same traffic.”

Akomea rejected suggestions that his absence was linked to disappointment over Kojo Bamba’s victory.

“I got there 10 minutes after the swearing in.”

He confirmed that he was at the stadium after the ceremony but had not been sworn in.

“Yeah.”

He said he expected to be sworn in at a subsequent meeting of the new national executive.

“Well, remember there’s an American president who had to be sworn in twice, so that is not new. We have our first meeting as a new executive, and I’m sure I’ll get myself sworn in.”

Akomea also dismissed the suggestion that his absence, alongside Nana B’s, could be interpreted as sour grapes.

“because of the coincidence. Because both of us were, but we’re not there. Nana B said he fell into traffic coming to the place.”

He said he had been disappointed by the election result but maintained that his campaign message had been well received.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, because, as I said, my message was well received.”

Akomea said he had expected to finish higher in the contest.

“Yes, even though I had come in late, many of the delegates expressed disappointment that I had come in late.”

He also acknowledged that campaign spending could have influenced the outcome.

“But I came in when the nominations opened, so the fact that somebody came before me was that you were outspent. Let’s be honest about that. Were you outspent? It’s possible, and it’s also possible that I also outspent somebody.”