Liberian election set for runoff as George Weah fails to win 50% votes

The presidential election in Liberia is set for a runoff as none of the candidates will be able to score 50 per cent of votes after final tabulation of results.

As at 9 p.m. Nigerian time, results in 95.6 per cent of the polling units had been announced by the National Elections Commission of Liberia. Of the 5,390 polling places, results have been announced in 5,151 polling places.

The former World footballer of the year, George Weah, leads other candidates with 572,374 votes or 39 per cent of total votes. He is followed by the current vice president, Joseph Boakai, who has 427,544 votes or 29.1 per cent, while Charles Brumskine has 144,353 votes or 9.8 per cent of votes.

The Liberian electoral law requires the eventual winner to have at least 50 per cent of votes cast which none of the candidates will be able to meet in this round of elections.

A run-off is thus expected between Mr. Weah, the only African to ever win the World footballer of the year award (1995) and Mr. Boakai who earlier on Sunday said he still hoped to be elected president.

“As far as I’m concerned, I know the Unity Party is going to win the elections; nothing is going to stop it,” Mr. Boakai told journalists according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.

“I went into the election to win, and I don’t settle for second round, I went to the polls for first round.”

The Premium Times

UM– USEKE.RW