The Standard Bearer of the Unity Party (UP), Joseph N. Boakai, remains narrowly ahead of incumbent President George Weah in the presidential election run-off after the National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced 86.71% of the election results.
The NEC on Thursday announced 5,107 out of the 5,890 polling places nationwide, constituting 86.71% of the total votes cast. Boakai accumulated 712,741 of the votes, constituting 50.58%, while Weah obtained 696,520, constituting 49.42% of the total votes cast.
Interestingly, the NEC has completed the counting of Bong, Lofa, Bomi and Margibi counties, and is left with the remaining eleven counties.
During the first round, the Unity Party secured seven counties: Lofa, Bomi, Margibi, Nimba, Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu, out of which the NEC has concluded tabulation in three for the run-off. This means the opposition still holds the vote-rich counties of Montserrado and Nimba, in addition to the little to be accumulated from Gbarpolu and Grand Cape Mount to compete with CDC’s seven stronghold counties.
Political observers are saying that after many of UP strongholds are gone, the margin is so minute to claim victory. They say the race is too tight to call a winner, and if the margin continues on this trend a winner may not be decided until the NEC announce 100% of the votes cast.