Liberia: Tinubu hails Weah’s acceptance of defeat, congratulates president-elect

Mr Tinubu commended President George Weah for his sterling example.

Olumayowa Samuel • November 18, 2023

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated President-elect, Joseph Boakai, for winning the presidential election in Liberia.

He urged him to unite the country and build on the immense support he got from the electorate through the ballot box to deliver good governance to the citizens.

Mr Tinubu also commended incumbent president, George Weah, for conceding defeat and preventing any form of socio-political crisis following the election outcome, which according to him, is a demonstration of uncommon leadership by him.

This was contained in a statement on Saturday titled, ‘President Tinubu congratulates Liberians and commends President Weah’s leadership following the presidential election,’ and signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The local media in Liberia on Saturday had reported that President Weah was defeated in the second round of voting in his country’s presidential election held on Tuesday.

About 99.58 per cent of votes from the country’s 5,890 polling places had been counted, showing that former Vice President Joseph Boakai and candidate of the Unity Party had taken the lead.

Mr Boakai has so far polled 814,212 votes of the total 1,625,684 votes, compared to Weah’s 785,778 running on the ruling party, Coalition for Democracy Change.

Congratulating the people of Liberia on the successful polls, Tinubu said Weah exhibited an exemplary act of democratic sportsmanship, especially at this time in West Africa, when democracy was under attack by malign actors trying to subvert the will of the people.

Tinubu said, “I commend President George Weah for his sterling example, undiluted patriotism, and statesmanship. He has defied the stereotype that peaceful transitions of power are untenable in West Africa. He has demonstrated that the outcome of elections in the sub-region need not become the propellant of violence and unrest and that the will of the people must always be respected.’’

He thanked the people of Liberia for exercising their rights peacefully and urged them to remain steadfast to sustain the peace and democracy.

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