In a surprising turn of events, the opposition Unity party is continuing to secure a leading position in the preliminary results of in 6 counties of Liberia.
While their strong showing was expected by many, what has truly captured the public’s attention is the sudden emergence of an unknown candidate Edward Appleton, Jr. who is now fighting for third place, even though with small numbers.
With a majority of the votes still to be counted, Unity party, led by former vice president Joseph Nyumah Boakai is in the lead with 46.27% while incumbent president George Weah has 39.6% of the votes announced by the Liberia electoral body from 392 out of 5,890 thousand polling places in the country
The preliminary results suggest a strong wave of support for the opposition’s platform, which focuses on issues such as “rescue mission” is resonating with a significant portion of the electorate.
Unknown candidate
However, the real shocker of this election is the mysterious candidate Edward Appleton who has risen from obscurity to challenge for the third position over Mr. Alexander Cummings of Alternative National Congress (ANC).
Edward Appleton, a political novice with no prior political experience or party affiliation, has garnered a remarkable level of support among voters. Their reported door-to-door campaign, which remains ‘unconventional and enigmatic’, seems to have struck a chord with a diverse cross-section of the electorate.
Appleton’s sudden ascent has generated curiosity and astonishment, with many wondering who this ‘unheralded contender’ is and what their motivations might be have captivated a significant portion of the electorate and given them a fighting chance for a strong finish in the race.
As the election results continue to be tallied and finalized, political analysts and experts are left scratching their heads, trying to make sense of the unprecedented rise of Appleton could this election signal a shift in the political landscape, where unconventional and unaffiliated candidates can challenge established parties?
Only time will tell as the final results draw nearer and the race for third place intensifies.
The coming days will be crucial as the full election results are disclosed, and the Liberia eagerly awaits the official outcome of this election, which promises to bring significant changes and a potential shakeup in the political hierarchy.
About 2.4million registered voters participated in Tuesday’s election.
Appleton has no record of political relevance in Liberia.
