Weah, Boakai battle for the Executive Mansion continues
--As NEC’s magisterial office in Bong County was gutted by fire
By Lincoln G. Peters
Liberia’s main opposition leader Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai and incumbent President George Manneh Weah continue to battle as the National Elections Commission (NEC) continues to tally polls.
The two archrivals have so far maintained their lead over 18 other presidential candidates after the NEC announced additional preliminary results on Thursday, 12 October 2023.
From what the NEC has announced so far, Mr. Boakai continues to lead President Weah. The NEC will continue to announce more results in the coming days. Over 2.4 million eligible voters were qualified to partake in the polls conducted Tuesday.
The NEC’s Board of Commissioners announced preliminary results of polling places in eleven of Liberia’s fifteen counties.
NEC Chairperson Madam Davidetta Brown-Lasannah announced preliminary results from Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Kru, Lofa, Montserrado, Nimba, Sinoe, Gbarpolu, and River Gee Counties.
According to the National Election Commission 2023 Presidential Elections Results Portal, the National Tally received 6.66% (392 of 5,890 polling places) of the preliminary results as of 12 October 2023.
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At the same time, Madam Brown-Lasananh disclosed that concerning the challenges in Sinoe County, the Commission has been informed by the Election Magistrates in the county that elections have been conducted in some precincts.
“With respect to the challenges reported in Sinoe County during Wednesday’s press briefing, the Commission is pleased to inform Liberians that the election magistrate reported this morning (Thursday) that elections were conducted in some of the challenging precincts on 11 October 2023,” she said.
She reported that the polls were being conducted in the remaining precincts on Thursday. With this development, she said it’s expected that polling will be concluded in Sione County by the close of the day, 12 October 2023.
In another development, the NEC boss said that the Commission has been informed by the magistrate of Upper Nimba of the disruption of vote counting at a precinct comprising two polling places in electoral district 4, Beolontuo Public School with precinct code 33285.
She further pointed out that the upper Nimba Magistrate informed the Commission that the police had been dispatched to the town.
Due to the difficult terrain, she said they are yet to return with feedback.
“As such, the commission will provide updates to the public on this matter as the information is made available to us.”
Additionally, she said the magistrate of upper Bong County reported a fire incident that occurred at the magisterial office.
She stated that the magistrate reported that the fire was started by an electrical shock in the conference room of the magisterial office.
According to her, the fire was put off, all the election materials were intact, and the tally was ongoing.
