Liberia's Supreme dismisses Boakai petition, election slated for Dec 26

Liberia’s Supreme Court has thrown out a request by the governing Unity Party to halt the 26 December presidential run-off election between ex-football star George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai.

The party asked for a delay, arguing that the electoral commission had failed to implement an earlier order of the court to clean up the voters roll of irregularities such as the names of people appearing multiple times.

The court ruled that the commission acted within the law to set a date for the run-off, and the commission should abide by its earlier ruling to clean up the roll and post it at polling stations before Tuesday’s vote.

Like it happened in the ruling that dismissed Liberty Party’s petition to cancel the outcome of the October poll, the ruling of the Supreme Court was not unanimous.

One judge dissented, saying the Unity Party’s petition should be upheld because the voters roll had not yet been sorted out.

Liberia Supreme Court dismisses fraud allegations, upholds re-run of October polls https://t.co/rvaPBW4kxU

— africanews (@africanews) December 7, 2017

The run-off was called after Weah beat Boakai in the first round in October, but failed to secure an outright majority.

The winner of this much anticipated polls, will replace Nobel Peace Prize laureate Johnson Sirleaf as leader of the small West African country.

Weah is a national hero in Liberia, having won global acclaim as a football star, winning the European, African and World Player of the year accolades in 2015.

He appeals to the youth and has gained political experience in his role as senator and unsuccessful bids for the presidency and vice presidency.

Boakai, the former head of Liberia’s petroleum refinery company and agriculture minister, has served as Liberia’s vice president since 2006.

Liberians will be taking to the polls next and hoping to successfully conclude an electoral process that is reportedly affecting the economy as customers and businesses hesitate on consumption and investment decisions.