May 5, 2021
The second Liberian Republic has had a lot of ups and downs. Between 1980 and 2017, no presidential candidate has ever won a landslide in any given election as compared to NPP flagbearer Charles G. Taylor. 13 political parties participated in the 1997 presidential election. Taylor won all of them at once with 75.33% (468,443 votes). There was no second round or run-off.
This was indeed a landslide victory. There were also 13 counties at that time but Taylor still could not win 12 out of 13. Even Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who won two successive democratic elections in 2005 and 2011 respectively, could not win 14 out of 15 counties at any given electoral interval. How come did George Weah win 14 out of 15 counties in the 2017 presidential election. Imagine for a moment, a man who could not even win 39% in round one. CDC George Weah only got 38.37% (596,037 votes) while UP Joseph Boakai got 28.76% (446,716 votes). The margin was as minimum as 9.6
Influence-peddling Probe For France s Sarkozy In Latest Legal Woe By Guillaume DAUDIN
01/15/21 AT 10:29 AM
French prosecutors said Friday they have opened a probe into alleged influence-peddling against former president Nicolas Sarkozy, adding a new legal woe for an ex-leader already mired in judicial troubles.
The probe opened by France s PNF financial prosecutors concerns advisory activities undertaken by Sarkozy in Russia, the PNF told AFP, confirming a report by the Mediapart news site.
The investigation will look at alleged influence-peddling and covering up an offence, the PNF said, without specifying when the inquiry was launched.
Mediapart said the probe targeted a payment by Russian insurance firm Reso-Garantia of 3 million euros ($3.6 million) in 2019 while Sarkozy was working as an advisor, well after leaving office.