Liberia’s incumbent President George Weah has acknowledged his electoral defeat to opposition leader Joseph Boakai. This development signals the conclusion of Weah’s tenure, which was tainted by accusations of corruption, and facilitates a peaceful power transition in the previously unstable African nation.
Boakai, a seasoned politician and former vice president who was defeated by Liberia’s incumbent President in the 2017 election, secured a narrow victory with 50.9% of the vote, compared to Weah’s 49.1%, as reported by the country’s elections commission. This outcome is a dramatic reversal from the 2017 election, when Weah, a global football icon, rode a wave of optimism to a landslide victory over Boakai.
Liberia’s incumbent President graceful concession sets the stage for the second democratic power handover in Liberia in over 70 years. His statement is particularly noteworthy in the context of West and Central Africa, where recent years have seen a spate of military coups, undermining confidence in democratic processes.
In the capital city of Monrovia, supporters of Boakai celebrated the near-final results with jubilant dancing, shouting, and car honking. “We have a job ahead of us to do, and I’m excited that the citizens have given us approval,” Boakai told Reuters after the results were announced.
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Boakai, known for his soft-spoken demeanor, was in a close race with Weah in the first round of voting in October but fell short of the 50% threshold required for an outright win, leading to a run-off in November.
Liberia is still grappling with the aftermath of two devastating civil wars that claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people between 1989 and 2003 and a deadly Ebola epidemic from 2013 to 2016. Many Liberians felt that Weah failed to deliver on his promises to alleviate poverty and upgrade the country’s dilapidated infrastructure.