Liberia’s Electoral Body Announces Opposition Candidate, Joseph Boakai as President-Elect 

In a historic moment for Liberia, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced on Monday that Joseph Boakai, the opposition candidate, emerged as the President-Elect, defeating the incumbent president, George Weah, in a fiercely contested election.

Joseph Boakai secured victory with 50.64 percent of the vote, narrowly surpassing Weah’s 49.36 percent, as declared by Davidetta Lansanah, the president of the commission. This triumph was achieved with a slim margin of only 20,567 votes.

Remarkably, George Weah had already conceded defeat on the preceding Friday evening, aligning his decision with the results from more than 99.98 percent of the polling stations.

SaharaReporters had initially reported Weah’s concession late Friday, as provisional results from the week’s runoff vote revealed Joseph Boakai leading by just over 1 percentage point.

“The Liberian people have spoken, and we have heard their voice,” Weah conveyed in a national address, acknowledging Joseph Boakai’s unassailable lead. He further urged the nation to follow his example and accept the election’s outcome, adding, “Our time will come again” in 2029. Weah emphasized his deep respect for Liberia’s democratic processes that have come to define the nation.

What you should know about Weah

Weah, a 57-year-old former international soccer star, originally won the presidential election in 2017 with a promise to combat poverty and foster infrastructure development. His victory marked Liberia’s first democratic transition of power since the conclusion of the country’s devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, which claimed the lives of approximately 250,000 people.

This election marks Liberia’s fourth since the conclusion of its civil war, underscoring the country’s commitment to a democratic future. The focus now shifts to Joseph Boakai as he prepares to lead Liberia into its next chapter.