By Festus Poquie
Vote count in the Tuesday’s presidential and legislative elections shows the race is tight between incumbent President George Weah and his main rival former vice president Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party.
Boakai has taken an early lead in two counties reported Wednesday. With 13 polling places covered in Bomi County, the opposition leader has 2, 543 or 64.01 percent of the valid votes cast compared to Coalition for Democratic Change Weah’s 1,134 or 28.5%, National Elections Chairperson Davidetta Brown Lansanah said at a news briefing in Monrovia.
In vote-rich Montserrado County, vote counting and tallying has concluded in three centers, putting the Unity Party Candidate ahead with 576 or 47>56% valid votes. The ruling CDC obtained 547 or 45.17% votes.
Elections officials started counting ballots after polling closed in most parts of the country in Tuesday’s elections but polling are expected to be concluded in the country’s southeastern region in 14 days, the electoral agency said.
Bad roads and heavy rain hindered elections materials supply to the affected areas putting polling behind schedule according to NEC.
“The Commission will extend the voting time in those areas.
“Polls have generally progressed well throughout the day across the country following a rough start that was occasioned by huge turnout of enthusiastic Liberians to cast their ballots.
Voting ended at most stations from 6 p.m. Final outcomes of the vote are expected on October 25, according to the agency’s timetable.
Weah facdse 19 other candidates in the race to lead the West African nation. The election is too close to call and he may have to face former Vice President Joseph Boakai, the most popular opposition challenger in a runoff, unless one of them gets more than 50% of the ballots.
