APA-Monrovia (Liberia) President Geogre Weah is narrowly trailing his main rival Joseph Boakai in the vote count almost a week after the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
The results from 73 percent of polling stations accounted for so far suggest that Boakai is in the lead with 43.54 percent of the votes ahead of President Weah who has managed 43.8 percent.
Although it is generally seen as a two-horse race, six candidates are vying for the Liberian presidency including frontrunners Weah of the ruling coalition for Democratic Change and former vice president Dr Boakai of the Unity Party.
Should the frontrunner fail to reach the over 50 percent vote threshold, a run-off featuring the two leading contenders will be held.
According to the National Elections Commission, votes have been tallied from 4,295 out of the 5,890 polling stations across the country.
Some 2.4 million people were registered to vote in Tuesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections which were marred in some parts of the country especially in the southeast where floods had posed a challenge to voters over access to voting materials.
President Weah faces a stiff challenge from his long-term poll rival 78-year-old Dr. Boakai who he defeated on his way to the presidency in 2017.
Liberia, a country with a civil war past has held four elections since the end of the conflict in 2003 which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
This year’s poll took place against the searing backdrop of economic hardship for Liberians, a situation which inspired Dr. Boakai to fashion his campaign as an attempt to “rescue” Africa’s oldest republic from the clutches of this crisis.
He accused President Weah’s government of incompetence to deal with the economic crisis and rampant corruption for the past six years.
Weah, 57 has pointed to continued stability and infrastructural development as hallmarks of his first term in office.
WN/as/APA