The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party's National Election Committee has explained why the National Delegates Conference started late.

The Conference which was scheduled to kickstart at 9:00am at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday morning commenced after 1:00pm.

As at 12noon, the stage on which dignitaries will sit was empty. Indeed, a look around by Myjoyonline.com’s Paa Kwesi Schandorf showed that there was no clear indication as to when the ball will be set rolling.

Speaking on The Probe on Sunday, Mr. Mac Manu attributed the delay to two issues.

He explained that the first issue is the injunction imposed by the Tema East Treasurer on Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) delegates and local proxies barring them from exercising their franchise.

According to him, the party had the injunction at about 8.00 pm on Friday, adding that “on the conference grounds we were served and we had to go into discussions with our lawyers and the Electoral Commission lawyers as to what to do.”

“We discussed it as lawyers and it took some time,” he added.

He also mentioned that another reason that caused the delay was that efforts to find accommodations close to the Accra Sports Stadium to host delegates were futile.

“So some went as far as Eastern Region, commuting from Eastern Region to the Conference grounds was quite a distance,” he explained.

He used the opportunity to clear the air on claims that the delegates were waiting for aspirants to give them money.

The party’s delegate conference was held on Saturday, July 16 at the Accra Sports stadium under the theme: “Working together, holding together.”

Over 6000 delegates voted for new national executives of the party to steer the affairs of the party and prepare the party for their quest to ‘break the eight’.

The elected executives are; Mr. Stephen Ntim- National Chairman, Vice Chairman- Danquah Smith Buttey, Rita Asobayire- 2nd Vice Chairman, Alhaji Masawuud – 3rd Vice Chairman, Mr. Justin Frimpong Koduah- General Secretary, Henry Nana Boakye- National Organiser, Kate Gyamfua-National Women Organiser, National Nasara Coordinator- Abdul Aziz Haruna Futah, National Youth Organiser-Salam Mohammed Mustafa and Treasurer – Dr Charles Dwamena.

Commenting on the choice of executives, Mr Peter Mac Manu said the party’s delegates have always made the right choice in electing their executives.

According to him, the delegates of the party “never disappoint” stressing that they “look at the circumstances of time and the dynamics of the future elections and cast their votes.”

He noted that the delegates have the final decision and believe the elected executives “have the strength, the wisdom and the character to take NPP to the next level.”

He said the party has accepted in good faith the decision of the delegates.