MONROVIA, Liberia
As Liberia anxiously awaits the final results of its historical first election, preliminary data suggests a nail-biting contest between incumbent President George Weah and former Vice President Joseph Boakai.
The National Elections
Commission has begun to announce the official results as both candidates have
so far demonstrated strong performances in their respective strongholds, making
it a closely contested race. Analysts are now emphasizing that each
candidate's performance in areas traditionally loyal to their opponent could
determine the outcome of the race.
If Weah were to lose the
election, it would mark a historic moment in Liberian politics, making him the
first president in the nation's history to be denied a second term. Boakai, on
the other hand, would become the second presidential candidate to return a
former ruling party to power since 1878 when the True Whig Party achieved this
feat.
A potential victory for Weah
would be groundbreaking, with him becoming the first candidate in Liberian
history to defeat the same political opponent twice. In the 2017 runoff, Weah
secured a decisive win against Boakai, with a 61.5% to 38.5% margin.
However, the dynamics have
shifted in 2023, with Boakai putting up a formidable fight, securing 43.44% in
the first round compared to Weah's 43.83%. This razor-thin margin led to a
runoff, as neither candidate reached the constitutional requirement of 50.1%.Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Data from the National
Elections Commission further underscores the widespread discontent with the
Weah administration, revealing that approximately 57% of Liberians voted for
opposition candidates in the first round.
This signals a significant
shift in public sentiment since the 2017 election as the Weah administration,
which came to power with promises to tackle corruption and improve livelihoods,
faced criticism for its failures to deliver on these commitments.
Meanwhile, The Ambassador of
the United States to the United Nations has warned that the US government will
call out anyone who undermines the electoral process through fraud, violence,
or intimidation.
In a statement
released on Wednesday, November 15, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield
said, “The United States will continue to promote accountability and will call
out anyone who undermines the electoral process through fraud, violence, or
intimidation.”
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