Weah supporters predict victory

Supporters are predicting victory for opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) presidential candidate Sen. George Manneh Weah ahead of announcement of official results by the National Elections Commission (NEC) following polls on Tuesday, 26 December.

The Liberian former international soccer legend turned politician won the first round of the polls contested by 20 presidential candidates, but he did not obtain the 50 percent plus one vote required to be declared winner.

Mr. Weah and ruling Unity Party (UP) candidate Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai are the two contestants in the runoff delayed by legal challenges against results of the 10 October polls.

CDCians are in high mood at party headquarters in Congo Town, suburb of Monrovia is high, with his supporters predicting victory amidst announcement of unofficial preliminary results by broadcast stations here.

Though the NEC has not made any pronouncement following the vote on Tuesday, unofficial results that are partly coming in appear to put Mr. Weah in the early lead against Mr. Boakai.

Observers say polling stations were better organized during the runoff on Tuesday than they were during the October vote that witnessed numerous problems.
According to reports gathered from local radio stations here, the onetime football icon Mr. Weah, 51, is leading unconfirmed results of the Tuesday election, giving him a better position for the nation’s highest seat.

Meanwhile, CDC Vice Chairman for Operations Mr. Mulbah Morlu has urged partisans to remain calm and wait for the official pronouncement from the NEC.According to him, it is clear that the CDC is now the ruling party, but notes that it is just the matter of days for the electoral house to declare them as winner.

Morlu adds that the CDC has remained in the opposition for 12 years, and he thinks it is now the rightful time for the party to take national power which citizens will enjoy greatly.

Meanwhile, the NEC says it will on Thursday, 28 December begin the announcement of provisional results of the runoff poll. It says tally of votes started Tuesday, 26 December across the country and it is continuing.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Edited by Winston W. Parley