Liberia’s Vice President Boakai concedes election
MONROVIA, Liberia — After allegations of election fraud and a delayed runoff that raised fears about a constitutional crisis, Vice President Joseph Boakai of Liberia accepted defeat in the country’s presidential election Friday and offered his support to the new government.
“I congratulate the winner, Ambassador George Manneh Weah, and pray that God will guide and guard him as he takes upon the onerous responsibility of steering the affairs of our nation,” Boakai said outside his party’s headquarters in Monrovia.
By conceding the race to Weah, a former international soccer star, Boakai helped pave the way for the first democratic transition of power in the West African country in more than 70 years. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is stepping down after two terms as Africa’s first democratically elected female president.
Unofficial election returns released Thursday tallying more than 1 million votes showed that Weah won by a wide margin, receiving 61.5 percent of the vote compared with Boakai’s 38.5 percent. Turnout was low, with around 56 percent of registered voters casting ballots, in part because the election was scheduled for the day after Christmas.
On Friday, the outgoing vice president traded confrontation for conciliation in making what he said was a decision for the good of the country, and dismissing the idea of challenging the results in court.
“I reject any temptation of imposing pain, hardship, agony and uncertainty on our people,” he said, alluding to past conflicts in Liberia’s transitions of power. “My name will not be used as an excuse for one drop of human blood to be spilled in this country.”
“It has never been about me, it has always been and should always be about Liberia,” he added, urging Liberians to reconcile.