Football icon and former FIFA World Best Player George Weah has conceded defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election. Weah who is the current president of his country is said to have called his challenger, Joseph Boakai, acknowledging his victory. Boakai secured a lead of 28,000 votes in almost all ballots counted. In his address to the country, Weah expressed respect for the democratic process and the voice of the Liberian people. 
Liberia’s President George Weah – Getty image He said, “the Liberian people have spoken, and we have heard their voice.” Weah had been in power since 2018 and will step down from the presidency after the inauguration of the new president in January. Weah’s presidency which was initially met with excitement, especially from younger voters, faced criticism for perceived failures in addressing corruption, rising price of commodities, and economic challenges. Despite winning the election in 2018 against Boakai with a large margin, Weah’s popularity dropped drastically during his tenure. Boakai, at 78 years old, secured 50.89% of the votes, while Weah received 49.11%, according to the electoral commission. Weah who is the first footballer to become a country’s president, accepted the result of the close race, stating the need for unity in Liberia, “Unity is paramount for mama Liberia.”
President Bola Tinubu The grouse of Tinubu was that the Apex Court had resolved the sole issue raised in the petition of the APM in the judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He sought to move the Court to invoke the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court judgment to halt the hearing into the APM’s petition. The Presiding Justice of the Court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, however, disagreed with Tinubu and held that the party cannot be shut out in the face of fair hearing. Justice Tsammani asked Tinubu to keep his objections against the hearing of the petition to the final address stage of the court’s proceedings. Similar objections raised by APC through its counsel, Charles Edosomwen SAN, against the petition on the same ground were turned down by PEPC for the same reason. Earlier, the APM, through its lawyer, Mr Gideon Ijiagbonya, had informed the Court of receipt of the Supreme Court judgment being sought to be used to terminate its petition. The lawyer said that upon perusal of the judgment by the Supreme Court, he and his legal team concluded that there is life in the petition and applied for its hearing. He, however, sought adjournment till June 26 to enable him to obtain a vital document from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish his case. Justice Tsammani, in a brief ruling, rejected a week-long adjournment and fixed Wednesday, June 21, for the hearing of the petition. 
MKO Abiola While addressing reporters on Monday, Mr Dele Oladeji, State Chairman of the party to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day said in a statement that the party wanted Tinubu to declare MKO as president-elect of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election so as to bring an end to a long lingering injustice against Nigerians. Oladeji noted that the “June 12 Day” remained a blight and watershed on the checkered democratic history of Nigeria and Africa “We request a release of the official result of June 12, a declaration of late MKO as the president-elect and presentation of insignia office and necessary compensation to his family.” The chairman stated that the requests would bring an end to long lingering injustice and correct devastating social and electoral bills against Nigerians and Nigeria. “This request will not be for only late MKO Abiola but for all Nigerians and the world at large, who will feel a huge relief. “It will also restore their faith and hope in the country afresh. “At this time, the June 12 Day should start to be celebratory like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “Also, it should stop being a day we keep mourning the injustice, loss to lives and property and the democratic rape of June 12 debacle,” he said. The chairman reiterated that a fulfilment of the party’s request would shore up renewed hope in the democratic system of Nigeria and Africa. He explained that it would bring a lot of maturity and faith in the democratic system in Nigeria. “It will build trust, faith and hope in the government of Tinubu, develop and foster rapid growth of the judicial and justice system and process in Nigeria.” Oladeji said this was the right to bring Justice to June 12 because a few of the active actors are still alive. “Ex-president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida who annulled the election is still alive, Prof. Maurice Iwu, the third INEC chairman who conducted the election, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Mr Dele Momodu. “Others are Dr Kayode Fayemi and President Bola Tinubu l, who were major actors and prominent agitators in the June 12 debacle. “Tinubu was not only a victim and active actor but also went on exile with other like- minds, members and leadership of NADECO,” he said. The chairman said the party looked forward to the official announcement of the result of the June 12, 1993 election and declaration of the winner while congratulating the President on the eventual victory of the Feb. 25, presidential election. “We wish the President and Nigerians a successful tenure and a prosperous reign.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that former President Muhammadu Buhari on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day instead of May 29 in honour of late Chief M.K.O Abiola. Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died in detention for an alleged treason. The declaration followed many years of agitations by civil society groups that Abiola must be immortalized. According to Buhari, the change was to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the presumed winner along with Nigerians were denied their rights and their choices. Meanwhile, the Secretary of M.K.O. Abiola’s family, Ameen Abiola said the family expects President Bola Tinubu to pay the presidential entitlements of the deceased. Ameen addressed reporters on Monday at a prayer session at the M.K.O. Abiola family house in Gbagura, Abeokuta, the Ogun capital. The family said beyond payment of the entitlements, they look forward to seeing the government to implement the promises Abiola made to Nigerians. Ameen noted that they believe the current administration would ensure that all “incentives due to Abiola get to the family.” “This government has the capacity to ensure that all incentives that are due to the Abiola family get to us. “I believe this government would do everything to make sure that we get what we should have gotten from the previous government,” he added. 
