Liberia’s President, George Manneh Weah, congratulates Former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai of the Unity Party as the 2023 Presidential run-off election winner.
The President called his fierce contender via telephone following the announcement of provisional results by the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Friday, November 17, 2023.
He said his CDC party “has lost the election but Liberia has won,” adding: “This is the time for graciousness in defeat”.
Weah, however, has promised to remain a key political player and will be back to run for the presidency in 2029.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) released the latest results of the November 14 run-off election on Friday, November 17, 2023, revealing a closely contested race between the two candidates in which President Weah obtained 785,778 votes constituting 59.11%, while Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai got 814,212 votes constitute 50.89% with a difference of 28,434 votes amounting to 1.78%.
The Liberian Chief Executive said Liberians are the winners of the elections and called on his supporters to accept the results.
During his campaign, the UP Standard Bearer Boakai promised to rescue Liberia from the Weah Administration, which he claimed was marred by mismanagement and corruption.
However, twenty-five (25) polling places remain to be completed. Out of the 25, one polling place in Nimba Electoral District #9 at the Vamie Elementary and Junior High School, precinct code 33090, polling place 4 due to the number of valid votes (379) exceeding the number of registered votes (329), a difference of 50 votes while the balance 24 polling places are from Grand Kru County to be recounted.
The election of Weah — the first African footballer to win both FIFA’s World Player of the Year trophy and the Ballon d’Or — had sparked high hopes of change in Liberia, which is still reeling from back-to-back civil wars and the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic.
The United States congratulated “president-elect Boakai on his victory and President Weah for his peaceful acceptance of the results”.
“We call on all citizens to follow President Weah’s example and accept the results,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Figo Mansaray is a Liberian Journalist for over 10 years and currently working with Kukatonon Media Inc and AYV Media Empire.
Figo, a prospective Graduate at the University of Liberia can be contacted via +231777489052/+231881734014 and mfmansaray2015@gmail.com