Liberia’s President George Weah accepted his loss on Friday night after preliminary results from the recent runoff election indicated that his opponent Joseph Boakai had won by a small margin of slightly over 1%.
According to election officials, Boakai was leading in the Tuesday election with 50.89% of the counted ballots, while Weah had 49.11%. The recent outcome differed greatly from the election six years ago, where Weah had a comfortable victory over Boakai in the second round. “Weah acknowledged the people of Liberia and their expression of choice, and acknowledged that Boakai is currently in a position that cannot be surpassed.” He encouraged others to emulate his actions and embrace the outcome of the elections, while also mentioning that there will be another opportunity for them in 2029.
The speech of concession was delivered prior to the official announcement of results in Liberia, coinciding with increasing worries about the weakening state of democracy in West Africa. In recent years, there have been multiple instances of military coups in the region, including one that occurred in Gabon earlier this year following a presidential election. Weah expressed his deep respect for the democratic process that has shaped our country.
The 57-year-old ex-professional soccer player emerged victorious in the 2017 election following his commitment to combat poverty and promote the construction of infrastructure. This marked the initial peaceful transition of power in the West African country since the conclusion of the consecutive civil wars from 1989 to 2003, resulting in the deaths of approximately 250,000 individuals. However, Weah has been criticized for failing to fulfill important pledges he made during his campaign, including combating corruption and seeking justice for victims of conflict.
The second round of Tuesday’s election was just as closely contested as expected, continuing the trend from the previous round where Weah secured 43.83% of the votes and Boakai received 43.44% to progress to the runoff. Boakai eventually secured support from the candidates who came in third, fourth, and fifth place in the elections. Boakai, who is 78 years old, worked as the vice president during the period when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first democratically elected female leader in Africa, held office.
Ryan Cummings, director of Signal Risk consulting, stated that because many Liberians were unhappy with Weah’s failure to address the struggling economy and eradicate corruption, it seemed that he had an advantage in the vote. According to Cummings, the results of the second round reveal that many Liberians are dissatisfied with Weah’s leadership and see Boakai as a credible alternative.
Weah is the sole African recipient of the prestigious international football award, the Ballon d’Or. He spent 18 years playing in various clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, and Manchester City, where he primarily played as a forward. His son, Tim, who is 23 years old, is currently a player for the Italian club Juventus and the United States national team. The national team.