Liberia: Despite trailing George Weah in official tally, VP says he’s sure of victory

Vice-President Joseph Boakai of Liberia says “nothing is going to stop” his victory in the October 10 presidential elections.

Speaking with journalists in Monrovia, he expressed optimism of winning the election in the first round, although he is still second in the provisional results released so far.

As at Saturday, Mr. Boakai of the ruling Unity Party was still the first runner up with 334,162 votes representing 29.6 per cent of the votes so far processed.

Former football star, Mr George Manneh Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) was leading with 441,839 or 39.2 per cent.

“As far as I’m concerned, I know the Unity Party is going to win the elections; nothing is going to stop it.

“I went into the election to win, and I don’t settle for second round, I went to the polls for first round,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a winner of the presidential elections must secure at least more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast to avoid a run-off.

Twenty candidates contested in the election to succeed outgoing President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is stepping down after serving out her two terms.

The Chairman of the National Elections Commission, Jerome Kokorya, had released more provisional results on Saturday, bringing the total votes so far processed to 1.12 million.

Mr. Kokorya said votes from 3,991 polling units had been processed as at Saturday out of a total of 5,390 units across the country.

NAN also reports that 2.1 million voters registered for the 2017 general elections.

Meanwhile, the opposition figure and presidential candidate of Liberty Party, Charles Brumskine, had alleged fraud in the elections, in spite the international observers adjudging it free and fair.

Mr. Brumskine, who stood at a third position with 9.3 per cent, alleged the polls were marred by gross irregularities and fraud, calling for re-run.

(NAN)