APRNEWS - The former international soccer star easily defeated Joseph Boakai in the 2017 runoff, but results from the first round of balloting last month showed the two neck and neck. Weah took 43.83% while Boakai brought in 43.44% of the total.

“We are going to an election where nobody has a competitive edge with a wide margin,” said Ibrahim Nyei, executive director at the Ducor Institute for Social and Economic Research.

APRNEWS - Mr Weah got 43.83% of the vote and Mr Boakai, a former vice-president, received 43.44%.

The 10 October poll was the tightest presidential contest in Liberia since a civil war ended about two decades ago.

A run-off was predicted, but Mr Boakai, 78, has done better than expected by coming close to Mr Weah's tally.