...As NEC Certificates Winners Today
Liberia's President-elect, Joseph Nyumah Boakai is poised to miss out on the certification program organized by the National Elections Commission for officials elected in the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections and the recent Presidential Run-off Election, but Henry Flomo the communication officer at the National Elections confirmed that he will not be certificated today and did not say when he will be.
The President-elect traveled to the United States of America recently to meet with officials of the Unity Party, family and foreign friends. According to the office of the President-elect, he will be out of the country for two to three weeks.
NEC recently disclosed that it has organized a ceremony to certificate all elected officials including the President-elect, the Vice President-elect, members of the Liberian Senate and the House of Representatives. The program is set for today Friday December 8, 2023 at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
The National Election Commission has sent out invitation to winners of the October 10 Representative and Senatorial elections and the November 14 runoff Presidential Elections excluding those candidates who are facing legal challenges for its official certification on December 8, 2023.
In line with NEC's pronouncement through the invitation, Liberia's President-elect, Joseph Boakai will not attend the event due to his travel to the United States of America to appreciate those of his supporters and stakeholders for their support for his victory according to his office notification through a release.
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The President-elect's office release noted that Vice President-elect Jeremiah Koung is to lead the transitional team of the incoming government while President-elect Boakai is away. With this information, the National Elections Commission is yet to officially announce to the public the status of the certification of those winners with the President-elect out of Liberia.
When this paper contacted Prince Dunbar, the Deputy Communications Director at the National Elections Commission declined respond up to press time. But NEC has previously assured the public that all is well on course for the certification program today, December 8, 2023.
Some Liberians are concerned about the early visit of President-elect Boakai to the USA without being certificated as President-elect.
The certification of elected officials is a result of the October 10, Presidential and Legislative Election which was contested by several individuals including Representative, Senatorial and Presidential Candidates.
Incumbent George M. Weah who was elected in 2017 was defeated by his main challenger, Joseph Nyumah Boakai in the Presidential Run-off Election. Weah has since conceded defeat and congratulated the winner of the presidential election, 79 year old Joseph Boakai of the Unity party.
The incumbent Weah obtained 49.11 votes while, opposition leader Boakai obtained 50.84 votes in the November 14, 2023 Presidential Run-off Election. The President-elect and Vice President-elect are expected to be inaugurated January 22, 2024 following their certification by the Liberian electoral body.
