IPNEWS – According to Mr. Amara Mohammed Konneh, Senator-Elect of Gbarpolu County, President George Manneh Weah has placed a call to his rival, former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, congratulating him for winning the Presidential Election.
Even though Boakai is yet to be publically announced as the winner and President-Elect by the National Elections Commission (NEC), Konneh wrote this on his Facebook page: “President Weah has placed his concession call to President-elect Joseph Boakai. We thank him for his commitment to upholding Liberia’s democracy. Our democracy survives! Let the reconciliation process begin[s]!”
While he praised the President for his magnanimity, however, earlier on Friday, November 17, Konneh, who took over the data room of the Unity Party (UP) and brought sanctity to it, had posted that the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) was on its way to the court to file an injunction against the NEC releasing results from the Presidential Runoff Election that was held on November 14, 2023. The CDC denied this allegation, though and no action of such was ever carried out.
“The CDC is on its way to court to file an injunction against NEC to halt today’s final announcement of the 2023 election runoff results. Liberia’s Donald Trump? We must not allow them to mess up our thriving but fragile democracy!!”
NEC Calls Result
In the early evening hours of Friday, the NEC announced 99.58 percent of the total votes count and this put former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai still in commanding lead over President Weah.
Boakai for the third day of releasing preliminary results from the Presidential Runoff Election, accumulated a total vote of 814,212, constituting 50.89% while the former footballer and incumbent Weah with 785,778 votes, constituting 49.11%.
The total votes accumulated now see the former Vice President with a difference of 28,434 votes constituting 1.69% above Weah.
The Runoff Election came about when none of the 20 individuals, who had vied for the Presidency in the October 10, 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections could not obtain 50 percent plus one vote as required by Liberia’s Constitution.
After the NEC Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, had announced the final results of the first round of the elections, which was held on October 10, 2023, 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 had obtained 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.”
While President Weah may have conceded defeat, the NEC still has 25 polling places to call: 24 of them in Weah’s home county of Grand Kru, while one is in Nimba.
Political analysts have calculated that if all votes from the remaining 25 polling places are given to the President, his bid for second term won’t still be helped.
Weah Speaks to Liberians
Few hours following the Gbarpolu County’s Senator-elect’s post, President Weah did address the nation. He admitted that he had called Ambassador Boakai and congratulated him for winning the race. The President said the elections showed how deeply divided Liberians are and it was time to heal the deep divide and for unity. He called on his supporters to graciously accept the results as he has done and get prepared for 2029, which is the year Liberians are going to be expected to go to the polls again to elect a new president.
CONGRATULATION!! LIBRIA WINS!!
