Liberian President Weah Concedes Defeat To Former VP Boakai.

By Caroline Ameh

Liberian President George Opong Weah has conceded defeat to opposition leader Joseph Boakai after a tightly contested presidential run-off. Weah, revered both as a football legend and the country’s leader, declared it was time to prioritize national interest over personal gain.

The latest and nearly complete results of the election revealed Boakai leading with almost 51 percent of the votes in Liberia, the oldest republic in Africa, established by emancipated American slaves.

Addressing the nation late on Friday via national radio, Weah acknowledged, “The results announced tonight, though not final, indicate that… Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass.” He emphasized that while his CDC party had lost, Liberia emerged victorious. Weah asserted, “This is the time for graciousness in defeat.”

Boakai, 78, previously lost to Weah, 57, by a considerable margin in the second-round presidential vote held in 2017. However, with over 99.5 percent of polling stations reporting the vote tallies after Tuesday’s second-round vote, Boakai secured 50.89 percent of ballots cast, as per the election commission.

According to Friday’s figures, Boakai held a lead of 28,000 votes over Weah. In the initial round last month, the two contenders had finished almost tied, with a national margin of only 7,126 votes favoring Weah.

Weah’s election, a historic milestone as the first African footballer to claim both FIFA’s World Player of the Year trophy and the Ballon d’Or, had instilled great expectations of change in Liberia. However, critics accused his administration of corruption and cited unfulfilled promises to uplift the country’s poorest citizens.

The United States extended congratulations to “president-elect Boakai on his victory and President Weah for his peaceful acceptance of the results.” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller urged all citizens to follow Weah’s example and accept the election outcome.

The country now stands at a crucial juncture, witnessing a peaceful transfer of power, poised to navigate challenges and aspirations under new leadership.