LIBERIA’S ruling party, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has accused the opposition party of rigging the recent presidential run-off election held on November 14. The CDC, led by President George Weah, claims to possess compelling evidence suggesting foul play in the hotly contested poll.
Speaking at a news conference in Monrovia, CDC Secretary-General Jefferson Koijee stated, ‘We have empirical evidences that the elections were stolen,’ raising concerns about the legitimacy of the electoral process.
The run-off election resulted in a victory for Joseph Boakai from the Unity Party, who secured a winning margin of over 20,000 votes against President Weah. The run-off had been declared after neither candidate managed to obtain the required 50 percent of the vote in the initial October 10 presidential election, as mandated by the electoral law.
The November 14 election witnessed a tense and closely fought battle, with both candidates neck-and-neck in a contest deemed free and fair by observers, including the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States bloc.
Despite the allegations of irregularities, President Weah, a former footballer, has chosen not to challenge the election results in court. In a move aimed at ensuring stability in the country, he has conceded defeat graciously.
Liberia has struggled to maintain stability after enduring a decade-long civil war led by rebel groups, which finally ceased in 2003. The peaceful transition of power through democratic elections had been seen as a milestone in the nation’s recovery from its troubled past.
