Joseph Boakai, a former vice president of Liberia and Unity Party candidate, is ahead in the presidential run-off election results so far reported by the country’s National Election Commission (NEC).
Chairperson Davidetta Lansanah announced the results of the second round of voting on Tuesday. Mr. Boakai has received 712,741 votes thus far, while George Weah, the incumbent president and CDC candidate, has received 696,520 votes.
While Mr. Weah’s vote equals 49.42 percent of the total votes counted, Mr. Boakai’s represents 50.58 percent. Approximately 86% of the total votes cast have been tallied.
After a first term marred by allegations of corruption, Mr. Weah is running for reelection on a platform of combating the problem. In contrast, his opponent presents himself as a messiah who will deliver Liberians from the grasp of incompetence.
With 20 candidates vying for the nation for the office of the president, the election’s first round took place on October 10. As a result, the two candidates with the most votes advanced to a run-off, which was held on Tuesday. Of the 20 contenders, none were able to garner the necessary majority of votes to win the presidency (20).
Since the conclusion of its civil war, Liberia has held four elections in recent memory.
