The Director of Administration and Finance (DAF), ECOWAS Court of Justice, Chief Dr. William Towah, has congratulated Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai on his deserved election as Liberia’s 26th President, following a heated presidential run-off.
“May I use this medium to congratulate you on your historic election as the 26th President of Liberia, which I believe speaks volumes of the trust and confidence of the Liberian people in your ability to provide a purposeful leadership aimed at solving the myriad of problems facing the country,” he said in a statement released in Abuja on Monday, November 27, 2023.
He added, “I am hopeful that you are bringing to the presidency a wealth of experience garnered over the years, and that they will be useful as you steer the state of affairs of the country for the next 6 years after your inauguration. You can be assured of our commitment and cooperation to the process of building our country with equal opportunities for all Liberians.”
The Director, who was also a part of the international observers who monitored the election, said that, with this peaceful and successful electoral process, Liberia has strengthened its democratic credentials against the backdrop of the threat to democratic consolidation in the region, which is exemplified by the democratic reversals on some member states.
He praised the out-going President, George Manneh Weah, for his statesmanship in conceding and congratulating the in-coming President even before the results were finally declared, an action he said elevated him to the pantheon of democracy in a region where post-election challenges have become a source of instability.
By this singular action, he said, Liberia has burnished its reputation as a beacon of democracy in the region, particularly with the commendable action of the out-going President, George Manneh Weah, in conceding defeat even before the release of the final results of the election and congratulating the victor, President-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai. “Moreover, it has elevated the out-going President to the pantheon of exemplars of democracy in a region where post-election challenges have become a source of instability,” Dr. Towah said.
Particularly, he characterized the commendable action as “an exhibition of extraordinary leadership which placed national above personal interest, and demonstrated to the world that he is a man of peace, patriotism and commitment to the cause of democracy that Liberians fought for and striving to permanently entrench it in our society”.
Dr. Towah, who is a Liberian-born diplomat within the regional body, described Liberia as the biggest winner in the keenly contested race for their resilience and determination to take their destiny into their hands, which contributed to the successful conduct of the election.
He also commended the effort of the country’s international development partners who “supported and stood with us throughout the process until the final results were announced, and even committed themselves to the smooth transition process”.