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Liberian president George Weah loses presidential poll to Boakai

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Liberian leader and football legend George Weah conceded defeat to opposition leader Joseph Boakai after a tight presidential run-off, saying it was “time to put national interest above personal interest”.

The latest and nearly complete results showed Boakai leading with nearly 51 percent of the votes in Liberia, Africa’s oldest republic founded by freed American slaves.

“The results announced tonight, though not final, indicate that… Boakai is in a lead that we cannot surpass,” Weah said in a speech on national radio late on Friday.

He said his CDC party “has lost the election but Liberia has won,” adding: “This is the time for graciousness in defeat”.

The 78-year-old Boakai lost to Weah, 57, by a large margin in the second-round presidential vote in 2017.

With more than 99.5 percent of the polling stations reporting vote tallies after Tuesday’s second-round vote, Boakai had garnered 50.89 percent of ballots cast, according to the election commission.

READ  Boakai declared winner of Liberia presidential election

Boakai was 28,000 votes ahead of Weah, according to Friday’s figures. The two finished neck-and-neck in the first round last month, with a national lead of just 7,126 votes for Weah.

The election of Weah — the first African footballer to win both FIFA’s World Player of the Year trophy and the Ballon d’Or — had sparked high hopes of change in Liberia, which is still reeling from back-to-back civil wars and the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic.

But critics have accused his government of corruption and him of failing to keep a promise to improve the lives of the poorest.

The United States congratulated “president-elect Boakai on his victory and President Weah for his peaceful acceptance of the results”.

“We call on all citizens to follow President Weah’s example and accept the results,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

 

‘Liberian People Have Spoken’
Weah said he had spoken to Boakai “to congratulate him on his victory”.

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“The Liberian people have spoken, and we have heard their voice. However, the closeness of the results reveals a deep division within our country,” Weah said in his speech.

“Let us heal the divisions caused by the campaign and come together as one nation and one united people.”

Weah who remains president until the handover of power in January pledged to “continue to work for the good of Liberia”.

It will be the second peaceful handover of power from one democratically-elected government from another in two decades.

The elections were the first since the United Nations in 2018 ended its peacekeeping mission, created after more than 250,000 people died in the two civil wars in Liberia between 1989 and 2003.

International observers, including the European Union, have commended Liberia for holding a peaceful election.

Regional bloc ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, said the poll was “largely” peaceful, but noted isolated incidents that led to “injuries and hospitalisations” in four provinces.

READ  Attack on worshippers ungodly, threat to Nigeria's foundation - Gani Adams

Clashes during the campaign left several dead before the first round and raised fears of post-election violence.

Around 2.4 million Liberians were eligible to vote on Tuesday and the turnout was roughly 66 percent, according to the electoral commission website.

Boakai is an old political hand, having served as vice president to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female head of state, from 2006 to 2018.

Liberia is home to around five million people and one of the poorest countries in the world.

More than a fifth of the population lives on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.

AFP

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Tinubu orders probe of security agents involved in arrest, detention of minors

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President Bola Tinubu has directed an investigation into the arrest and arraignment of minors detained for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, told State House correspondents that the president issued the directive to Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice.

Idris said the president has directed the immediate release of all minors arraigned over their involvement in hunger protest.

He added that Tinuhu also asked the humanitarian affairs ministry to rehabilitate the minors.

“Second, the president has also directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction to immediately see to the welfare of those minors, and also take part to ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians wherever they are in the country,” Idris said.

“Number three, the president has directed that a committee will be set up immediately to be headed by the ministry of humanitarian affairs

READ  BREAKING: DSS warns against unlawful protest on Democracy Day

“It’s actually an administrative committee, to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, the treatment, and finally the release of these young minors.

“Fourthly, the president has also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest and the legal processes will be investigated.

“And if there are any infractions found to have been committed by any official of government, be him a law enforcement agency or whoever that person may be, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against him or her.”

In August, many Nigerians across different states staged #EndBadGovernance protest against the state of the station.

The 10-day protest turned violent in some states  with protesters, leading to looting and destruction of public and private properties.

Many of the protesters were also seen waving Russian flags in some northern states.

On November 1, the police arraigned 76 persons, mostly malnourished minors, for alleged involvement in the protest, charging them with treason.

READ  WORLD CUP QUALIFIER: Only 5,000 spectators for Nigeria vs Liberia in Lagos

However,  four of the minors collapsed n court.

The minors’ arraignment ignited public outcry on social media, leading to demands for their release, after which the attorney-general asked the police for the case files.

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BREAKING: EFCC arrests ex-Delta Gov Okowa for alleged fraud

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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a former Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

 

An EFCC source confirmed the former governor’s arrest on Monday.

 

Okowa was arrested on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he reported at the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC on the invitation of investigators handling his matter.

 

The former governor was alleged to have failed to render accounts of the funds as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed he used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

 

Specifically, Okowa allegedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the major banks in the country representing 8% equity to float the offshore LNG. The funds were alleged to be used for other purposes.

READ  BREAKING: DSS warns against unlawful protest on Democracy Day

 

Investigators are also investigating the diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba in Delta state.

 

He is being held at the EFCC holding facility in Port Harcourt.

 

Okowa was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.

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Tinubu orders release of minors arraigned over #EndBadGovernance protest

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President Bola Tinubu has directed that all minors arraigned over the #EndBadGovernance protest be released immediately. 

In a briefing with State House correspondents on Monday, Mohammed Idris, minister of information, said the president issued the directive to Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation.

“I recall that I had a short briefing with Mr President early this evening, and he has directed the immediate release of all the minors that have been arrested by the Nigerian police, without prejudice to whatever legal processes,” Idris said.

“There are all minors. The president has directed that all of them be released immediately.”

In August, Nigerians embarked on a protest against economic hardship and spiralling inflation. The rallies turned violent in some parts of the country.

Some protesters were seen wielding Russian flags in certain northern states.

On November 1, the federal government arraigned 76 persons who allegedly took part in the protest, and charged them with treason.

READ  Boakai suffers 'heat stroke’ during  inauguration as Liberia’s president

Majority of those arraigned were minors who looked malnourished and sickly. Four of the minors collapsed in the courtroom on the day.

The arraignment had sparked an uproar on social media amid calls for their release and respect for their right to dignity in line with the Child Rights Act.

The attorney-general had asked the police to hand over the case files in the wake of the uproar.

More to follow…

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