Liberian president admits defeat to his competitor in presidential run-off election

MONROVIA, Nov. 18, (Xinhua/GNA) – Liberian President George Weah, admitted defeat on Friday to his competitor, Joseph Boakai, in the presidential run-off election through a speech on national radio.

According to official election results, 99.5 percent of ballots were counted from Tuesday’s election. Boakai grabbed 50.89 percent of the votes, beating the incumbent president’s 49.11 percent.

Weah conceded defeat and congratulated Boakai on his victory.

He added that Liberia had won, and it was time to put the national interest above personal interest.

Weah, 57-year-old, is a former international soccer star, who won the 2017 presidential election, in which Boakai once lost to Weah.

Boakai, a 78-year-old political veteran, once served as vice president for 12 years under the former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The election was a rematch of the 2017 election.

GNA