The results of the 2023 Liberian presidential election are in, and the least we can say is that the presidential race is more than close. The two main candidates, George Weah and Joseph Boakai, are vying for victory by a tiny margin. Based on 98.50% of the ballots counted, George Weah received 43.79% of the votes, while Joseph Boakai followed closely with 43.49% of the votes.
These results are too close and do not make it possible to designate a winner in the first round, in accordance with the Electoral Code which requires a minimum of 51% of the votes to win the presidential election. Thus, a second round will be organized at the beginning of November to decide between the two candidates.
However, the announcement of the results was marred by incidents that raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. The president of the National Elections Commission (CNE), Davidetta Browne-Lansana, reported missing ballots, as well as the alleged destruction of ballot boxes. Additionally, a theft of results slips occurred in Saino County, leading to the arrest of suspects.
These incidents delayed the official announcement of the results and created palpable tension in the country. The observation mission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also published a press release calling for calm and urging political parties to avoid premature announcements of results to ease tensions around the National Elections Commission.
The wait for the second round of the Liberian presidential election therefore arouses great expectation among the population. Liberians hope that this second round will take place peacefully and that the new president can be legitimately elected to continue the development of the country.
In conclusion, the 2023 Liberian presidential election is marked by a fierce competition between George Weah and Joseph Boakai. The close results led to a second round being held to decide between the two candidates. Despite a few incidents that marred the electoral process, the Liberian population hopes for a peaceful outcome and the election of a legitimate president to lead the country towards a better future.