Monrovia — President Weah believes cabinet ministers didn't do enough to protect and account for their votes, leading to early concession.

Presidential Deputy Press Secretary Mr. Smith Toby says President Weah's early concession to his rival of the opposition Unity Party was due to carelessness on the part of government officials who didn't show enough interest in protecting their votes.

According to Mr. Toby, who briefed the press at the Executive Mansion at the end of the President's final cabinet retreat, some cabinet members raised concerns that the President should have waited a bit longer before conceding defeat.

"There were concerns, and he also admitted that people were talking. He didn't want to hold the country hostage. He also felt elections are elections, and people were talking. He also admitted that at a certain point, officials were careless and didn't protect the votes; everyone was a big boy or girl, and they left the ballot boxes with kids.

"Had we minded the ballot boxes, some of the irregularities we are hearing about would not have occurred. The President has accepted it, so we are no longer complaining, and it's time to move on and build our country."

The Presidential Press Secretary also informed the media that the President has mandated all officials of his government to submit a formal turnover note within the next two weeks, and they should do so in consultation with a lawyer.

Madam Mary Broh, who heads the General Services Agency (GSA), has been tasked with retrieving all government properties, and Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah has been appointed as the head of the government transition team.

Mr. Toby also said the President is committed to a smooth transition to the next administration; players of the current administration will hold on and see what the possibilities for 2029 are and how they can amalgamate forces to stay together until the next elections.

"There were mixed feelings in the hall; at some point, it was very emotional. But they took some time to congratulate the president for the opportunity to serve. The president has taken the defeat as a collective loss and warned officials to stop the blame game.

The President has asked cabinet ministers to reach out to the grassroots support base who are still struggling to overcome the loss and not to turn their backs on them.