Liberia Presidential Elections goes to Second Round in a Tight Race

Samwel Eviator

Liberia is heading to a run-off election after a tight race between incumbent President George Weah and his main challenger, Joseph Boakai.

The first round of voting, held on October 10, ended in a photo finish, making it the tightest presidential contest in Liberia since the civil war ended nearly two decades ago.

In the initial round of voting, President Weah secured 43.83% of the vote, while Joseph Boakai, a former vice-president, was just behind with 43.44%. Since neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a second round of voting was inevitable.

Leader of Liberia's ruling party Coalition for Democratic Change(CDC), President and former soccer player George Weah, prepares to cast his vote during the presidential elections in Monrovia, Liberia October 10, 2023. [Photo/REUTERS] Liberia — Leader of Liberia’s ruling party Coalition for Democratic Change(CDC), President and former soccer player George Weah, prepares to cast his vote during the presidential elections in Monrovia, Liberia October 10, 2023. [Photo/REUTERS]

The run-off election is now scheduled for November 14, as confirmed by the head of the electoral commission, Davidetta Browne.

This marks an unexpected turn of events for Joseph Boakai, who narrowly missed matching President Weah’s vote share.

In the 2017 election, Boakai trailed Weah in the first round and subsequently lost the run-off by a significant margin. However, this time, he ran under the banner of “Rescue,” accusing President Weah of steering Liberia in the wrong direction during his first term.

President Weah, a 57-year-old former international football star, defended his track record, highlighting significant achievements such as the introduction of free tuition for university students.

In a press conference last week, Joseph Boakai extended an olive branch to fellow opposition candidates, urging them to join the “rescue team for a resounding victory.”

He emphasized the need to unite for the greater good of Liberia, saying, “We are reaching out to our brothers and sisters in the opposition and Liberians in general to join us in this noble mission of making our country breathe freely again.”

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Boakai, who previously served as vice-president in the government of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, promised to form a “government of inclusion that truly reflects the political, social, and religious diversity of the citizens” if elected.

The recent election saw 18 other candidates vying for the presidency, but none of them managed to secure more than 3% of the vote.