Liberia: President George Weah Concedes Defeat To Opposition Leader Joseph Boakai
- The latest results give Joseph Boakai an unassailable lead against George Weah, a former football superstar
- Joseph Boakai is known by his critics as "Sleepy Joe" after reports of him falling asleep at official events
- In the 2017 elections, Joseph Boakai memorably described himself as a "race car parked in a garage,
Monrovia, Liberia - President George Weah has conceded defeat to 78-year-old Joseph Boakai, an opposition candidate who describes age as a "blessing."
Source: UGC
This follows the West African nation's closely fought presidential election.
BBC reports that the latest results give Boakai an unassailable lead against the former football superstar of the Congress for Democratic Change party in the tightest poll since the country's civil war ended.
Why Joseph Boakai has been labelled as "Sleepy Joe"
He is known by critics as "Sleepy Joe" after reports of him falling asleep at official events, but Boakai has promised to restore hope in Liberia and prevent the country "from falling over the cliff".
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Having served 12 years as vice-president under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female African head of state, he is familiar with running a country.
He will officially start in January 2024, when he is sworn in.
In the 2017 elections, Boakai described himself as a "race car parked in a garage," a popular term that helped Weah defeat him.
He has stated that his desire to do more as vice president is tied to the description.
His website lists 58 accomplishments, from supporting community institutions to settling various conflicts in Liberia.
The most noteworthy accomplishment of his presidency was that it ended in total peace after nearly 15 years of conflict.
How George Weah failed to walk his talk
Weah, who ran unsuccessfully for a second six-year term, seems to have scored his own goal by avoiding the conversation about the calls to establish an economic and war crimes court, which dominated the airwaves and public mood.
The 57-year-old came into office on a platform of establishing the court, transforming lives, and creating jobs.
However, he contended that looking back at past misdeeds would not be the most excellent method to achieve growth after assuming office in 2018.
Kennedy Agyapong gracefully accepts defeat after losing NPP presidential race
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, one of the presidential hopefuls of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), gracefully accepted defeat after declaring the party's presidential election results.
In a fiercely contested presidential poll, the Assin Central Member of Parliament gave Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia a "showdown."
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
Nathaniel Crabbe (Human-Interest editor) Nathaniel Crabbe is a journalist and editor with a degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where he graduated in 2015. He earned his master's from UPSA in December 2023. Before becoming an editor/writer of political/entertainment and human interest stories at Asaase Radio, Crabbe was a news reporter at TV3 Ghana. With experience spanning over ten years, he now works at YEN.com.gh as a human interest editor. You can reach him via nathaniel.crabbe@yen.com.gh.
Berlinda Entsie (Copy Editor) Berlinda Entsie is a Copy Editor at YEN.com.gh. She has worked as a proofreader and editor since 2016. Berlinda has over 5 years' experience editing and writing for leading publications in Ghana. She previously worked with Graphic Communications Group LTD, Business Insider SSA and Pulse.com.gh. She obtained a B.A in English Studies from the Methodist University College in 2016 and a Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the GH Media School in 2019. Reach out to her via berlinda.entsie@yen.com.gh
