IPNEWS: The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform (CSHRA-P) and the human rights community has hailed President George Manneh Weah for conceding defeat and congratulating Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai as president elect of the Republic of Liberia
Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform in a release noted that the singular action of the president to concede and congratulate his opponent in the just ended Presidential re-run, is a break away from other despotic African regimes which cling on to power at the peril of their people.
The CSO Platform and human rights community also congratulated the president-elect Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai for his victory in the just ended November 2023 Presidential Election run-off-stressing that the Platform and the human rights community remains positive that your administration will take the necessary steps to correct the issues of inclusive government, human rights promotion and protection, accountability for past crimes, prioritizing the condition of persons living with disabilities, drug addiction, unemployment, healthcare and the bread-N-butter issues of the state.
The CSO Platform further recognized the National Election Commission for transparently and independently conducting the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections in the face of overwhelming challenges.
“The results of the just ended polls rekindles the hopes and aspirations of the Liberian people that public institutions in the country still have integrity and call on other institutions like the judiciary and police to emulate the example of NEC.”
“Finally, we want to commend the Liberian people for the peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves during the just ended electoral processes. The CSO Platform and the human rights community recognizes that people took sides during the process, but the elections have ended and it’s time to put the interests of the country above personal interests.: Adama K. Dempster, National Secretary General CSO Human Rights Advocacy Platform of Liberia concludes.
On Monday, November 20, the National Elections Commission (NEC) formally declared former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai the winner of the November 14, 2023, Presidential Runoff Election.
Boakai and incumbent President George Manneh Weah were the two men contesting for the nation’s highest office.
Announcing the final result Monday, the Chairperson of the NEC, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, said, “In this connection, the Results of the Presidential Runoff Election indicate that the presidential ticket of candidates Boakai, Joseph N. and Jeremiah K. Koung of UP has the highest number of votes 814,481 constituting 50.64% over Weah, George Manneh and Jewel Howard Taylor of CDC 793,914 votes, constituting 49.36%.
“Hence, the presidential ticket of candidates Joseph N. Boakai and Jeremiah K. Koung of the Unity Party is declared by the Commission as winner of the 14 November 2023 run-off election.”
Few days before the NEC Chairperson announced her official results, President George Manneh Weah had conceded defeat to his rival and called on all of his supporters to accept the result as he had done. The President said it was time to heal the deep divide that characterized campaign processes during the election. In addition to the President’s congratulatory message, more and more congratulations have come from many quarters and prominent individuals, including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
After Madam Lansanah had announced the final results of the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, she said the Constitution says that if none of those taking part in a national presidential election, got 50 percent+1, then the first two with the highest numbers of votes will square off in a runoff in order to determine the next president.
Twenty individuals, including 19 men and a woman, had wrestled for Liberians’ votes to be their next leader. Weah, who is the incumbent, according to the NEC, got 804,087, constituting 43.83%; while Boakai obtained 796,961, constituting 43.44%. Even though Weah got 7,126 votes more than his rival, he still didn’t qualify to be declared the next president of Liberia. The percentage margin between both men was 0.39.
The NEC Chairperson based her reliance on Article 83B of the Liberian Constitution: “All elections of public officers shall be determined by an absolute majority of the votes cast. If no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first ballot, a second ballot shall be conducted on the second Tuesday following. The two candidates who received the greatest numbers of votes on the first ballot shall be designated to participate in the runoff election.”
