Liberian President George Weah has conceded defeat after provisional results of Friday, November 17, 2023, from the week’s runoff vote showed that Joseph Boakai is winning the election.
After President Weah and Boakai neck to neck encounter in the first round of voting in October 2023, where they were all under the 50% needed to secure an outright victory, the Liberian Election Body organized an election run-off on November 14, 2023.
According to President Weah, the provisional results show that Ambassador Boakai is already winning with a big margin which can’t be outshined.
“The results announced tonight, though not final, indicate that Ambassador Joseph Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass,” Weah Said.
The 57-year-old former international football star won the 2017 election after promising to fight poverty and develop infrastructure.
During a national address on Friday evening, Weah said that, it was the first democratic transfer of power in the West African nation since the end of the country’s civil wars.
“Tonight, the Coalition for Democratic Change has lost the election but Liberia has won. This is a time for graciousness in defeat, a time to place our country above party and patriotism above personal interest. I remain your President until the handover of power and I will continue to work for the good of Liberia,” President Weah said.
Weah urged his supporters to follow his example and accept results of the elections.
“Tomorrow, resume your daily activities in a normal way and come and join me at our party headquarters to reflect on our journey and plan for our return to political leadership in 2029,” Weah noted.
The Liberian Election Body, the National Election Commission (NEC) unveiled the outcomes of the November 14, 2023, run off election on Friday evening highlighting a closely contested race between the two candidates.
According to NEC, President Weah garnered 785,778 votes (49.11%), while former vice president Boakai secured 814,212 votes (50.89%).
In his campaigns, Boakai pledged to rescue Liberia from what he termed as a corrupt and mismanaged Weah administration.
The President elect Boakai, served as Vice President under the Leadership of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for 12 years and brings over 40 years of experience in the public sector.
