Former Ghana president meets election observers for Liberia's presidential run-off poll

25 Décembre 2017

Monrovia, Liberia, December 26 (Infosplusgabon) - The Head of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Election Observation Mission to Liberia, Ghana's former President John Mahama, on Monday met with heads of other International observer groups ahead of the delayed 26 December presidential run-off.

An ECOWAS official told Infosplusgabon that this was for information and experience sharing towards ensuring a peaceful and credible vote.

In attendance, among other groups, were the African Union, Carter Center, European Union (EU) and the US National Democratic Institute headed by Nigeria's former President Good luck Jonathan.

President Mahama has met separately with the two candidates, George Weah, a former football star and Joseph Boakai, the outgoing vice president.

Weah, 51, polled 39% of the votes followed by Boakai, 71, with 29%. A candidate needed more that 50% of the votes to win the first round. There were 20 candidates, 17 of them sponsored by political parties.

Former President Mahama is leading 25-member ECOWAS Short-Term Observation Mission at the polls.

The presidential run-off poll was to have taken place on 7 November, but was delayed because of the petition filed by one of the losing parties, the Liberty Party (LP), which claimed there were irregularities and fraud in the first round balloting on 10 October.

The case was escalated to the Supreme Court, which ordered the National Elections Commission (NEC), Liberia, to address the complaints by the LP.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/OOU/GABON 2017

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