Liberia: George Weah and Joseph Boakai headed for presidential run-off vote on Nov. 7

Former soccer star George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai are headed for a run-off in Liberia’s presidential election.

According to Liberia’s electoral commission, Weah was leading with 39 percent of votes and less than 5 percent of precincts still to be counted, while Boakai is in 2nd place with 29 percent of the vote.

The final certified results from Tuesday’s poll must be announced by October 25.
Turnout based on votes counted so far was nearly 75 percent.

A total of 20 candidates competed in last week’s poll seeking to succeed Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – who will be stepping down having completed her 2nd and final term in office.

Weah and Boakai had both predicted outright victory in the first round.

Weah, a national hero in Liberia, became the first non-European to win European soccer’s player of the year award in 1995, the same year he picked up the African and world player of the year awards.
He finished runner-up to Johnson Sirleaf in a 2005 election. He was the vice-presidential candidate on a ticket with Winston Tubman, who lost to her 6 years later.

The 2nd round run-off election between the front runners has been set for November 7.

Source: Agencies