Former football star George Weah and incumbent Vice-President Joseph Boakai on Saturday edged closer to competing in a run-off vote for Liberia’s presidency, with three quarters of polling stations counted. Weah now commands 39.2% of votes cast and counted while Boakai has taken 29.6%, the chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC) Joseph Korkoya told journalists in Monrovia. If no single candidate gains more than 50% of the vote, a run-off will be scheduled in November between the top two contenders, according to Liberian law. Weah is ahead in 12 of Liberia’s 15 counties including Montserrado, its most populous, while Boakai leads in two including his home county Lofa. Boakai said earlier Saturday he was still confident of winning without the need for a second round vote.

Source: GNN Liberia October 15, 2017 13:30 UTC