The National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced on Monday that Joseph Boakai, a political veteran, has defeated incumbent George Weah to be proclaimed the winner of Liberia’s presidential election.
Former international football hero Weah received 49.36 percent of the vote, while Boakai, who won by a mere 20,567 votes, received 50.64 percent of the total vote, according to commission president Davidetta Browne Lansanah, who spoke to media.
Based on the findings of more than 99.98 percent of the polling places, the departing president and former football player had already announced his defeat on Friday night.
Recall that the opposition leader had about 51% of the vote in Liberia when the results were revealed. As a result, Liberia’s president, the legendary African football player George Weah, announced that the people of Liberia had triumphed despite his loss in the presidential race and gave up the mantle to opposition leader Joseph Boakai.
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Weah, however, said that “there was no way he could overturn Boakai’s lead as the result announced tonight, though not final, indicates that Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass” as the election umpire of the country continued to announce the results.
He continued, “This is the moment for graciousness in defeat.”
Numerous eminent people, heads of state, and institutions have persisted in honouring His Excellency George Weah, a man whose ascent from the football pitch to the presidency has destroyed the myths that democracy cannot flourish on our extraordinary continent and instilled a great sense of pride in Africans everywhere.
According to a statement released by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), “Liberians have once again demonstrated that democracy is alive in the ECOWAS region and that change is possible through peaceful means.”
