Liberia: George Weah maintains slim lead over Boakai

As early results from the votes conducted on October 10 continue to be released by the National Elections Commission (NEC), President George Weah has managed to maintain a narrow lead over former Vice President Joseph Boakai.

The country is anxiously awaiting the results as Weah leads with 13,758 votes, with 48% (2,933) of the voting stations reporting. With 415,895 votes cast, the President has lead opposition leader Joseph Boakai, who has received 402,137 votes.

The results indicate that there is still intense competition in the race, with a narrow lead between the two contenders. This will likely lead to a close finish, since 3,308 voting places—or 52% of all polling places—have not yet been counted, making the election’s outcome unknown.

Former international football player Weah has been in office since January 2018 and is campaigning for re-election on a platform that emphasises the accomplishments of his first term, which included economic reform and the construction of infrastructure. He has made it clear that he will keep up these programmes and advance Liberia’s economic growth.

However, Boakai, a former vice president of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is positioning himself as a seasoned statesman who can approach the country’s problems in a new manner. Throughout his campaign, he has prioritised subjects like social welfare, healthcare, and education.

The nation has been on edge because to the close contest between Weah and Boakai, as both candidates have rallied their followers and emphasised the need for peaceful elections.

After a protracted and bloody civil war ended in 2003, Liberia has achieved great strides recently in the areas of democracy, governance, and economic growth. Analysts predict that this election’s result will have a significant impact on how the country develops and moves forward in the years to come.

BREAKDOWN OF THE VOTES FROM EACH COUNTY AS CALLED BY NEC:

BOMI
Polling places _ 109 of 171 = 63.74%
UP = 15,791 =51.42%
CDC = 11,810 = 38.45%

BONG
Polling places _ 190 of 555 =34.23%
UP_ = 26741 =42.58%
CDC _ = 26,675 =42.47%

GBARPOLU
Polling places _96 of 134 =71.64%
UP = 12,813 =44.65%
CDC =11, 996 =41.81%

Grand Cape Mount
Polling places _40 of 213 =18.78%
UP _6772 =54.16%
CDC _4517 =36.12%