Liberia’s presidential race has taken an unexpected turn as provisional results from the October 10th election indicate a nail-biting contest between incumbent President George Weah and opposition leader Joseph Boakai.
The West African nation’s election commission released the closely-watched numbers on Sunday, revealing a political showdown that has captivated the nation.
With results in from 72.92% of polling places, the figures show a strikingly close race. President George Weah holds a slender lead, garnering 43.80% of the vote, while his rival, Joseph Boakai, is nipping at his heels with 43.54% of the votes cast. This race has left the nation on edge, as it appears that the outcome is far from certain.
To secure an outright victory and avoid a runoff, the winning candidate must amass more than 50% of the votes. With neither Weah nor Boakai reaching this threshold based on the current tallies, Liberia seems headed for a tense and closely-watched runoff election that could decide the country’s next leader.
In the days to come, the election commission will continue to tally the remaining votes, and both candidates are expected to make their cases to the electorate as they vie for the presidency in this fiercely contested race.
Source: Reuters