On Tuesday November 14, Liberians went to the polls to elect a new president. At the end, without a single shot fired, no one killed, no scores of citizens injured in clashes with security forces, no tribe targeted, votes were cast and results of the election was declared.
Before the conclusion of the process, incumbent President George Manneh Oppong Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) put a call to challenger Joseph Nyumah Boakai of the Unity Party (UP) to congratulate him.
Weah told his supporters as vote tallies were still being computed that, “The results announced tonight, though not final, indicate that… Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass.” He said it was “time to put national interest above personal interest” and encouraged his party to accept the “graciousness in defeat”.
CDC, he said “has lost the election but Liberia has won”.
Boakai led Weah narrowly 51% to 49% – a margin so tight that some incumbent may have been tempted to swivel the count in his favour. It also demonstrates the accuracy, professionalism and high standards of integrity with which the country’s NEC, under the leadership of Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah, oversaw the entire electoral process.
The 57-years old Weah and former AC Milan striker was elected president in 2018, taking over from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for a five-year presidential tenure which ends in January 2024.
On his part, Boakai – a former Vice President, has been magnanimous in victory, appointing an all inclusive transition committee drawn from every segment of the country, even the defeated ruling party.
Yes, Liberia is a small country of about 5 million with 111,369 km2 geographical area – about 10% the size of Nigeria. It was founded mostly by freed African slaves from the Americas in the 1800’s and schisms between the Americo-Liberian settlers and indigenous populations ultimately came to a head at the overthrow and assassination of President William Tolbert Jr. by Sergeant Samuel Doe in 1980.
The two civil wars that followed cost a quarter of a million lives and eviscerated 90% of Liberian economy.
But small Liberia has rebounded and the political maturity of her political leaders presents both a lesson and a challenge to the self-proclaimed ‘Giant of Africa‘ with the feet of clay – Nigeria – which is still stuck with violent elections and with incredible outcomes. Elections are shabbily conducted, judicial interventions often riddled with accusations and counter-accusations of corruption, and now, as if it wasn’t bad enough, new jests have been added – vote buying and voter suppression of ethnic groups in some states and even when voters are allowed, are victimized for their electoral choices.
Weah’s transition to Boakai will be Liberia’s third since return of democracy in 1995. But all hope for Nigeria is not lost. In 2015, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan refused to contest the election result and ceded power peacefully to ex-President Mohammadu Buhari. Nigerians hoped in vain the tradition will be sustained, but the fact it happened at all, remains a source of hope of what is possible.
Congratulations Liberia. “Sweet land of liberty and justice for all“.
This editorial was written by JolibaLive News!
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