Senator George Weah has taken the lead in the early election results announced by Liberia’s electoral commission on Thursday evening.

The National Elections Commission Chairman Jerome Korkoya announced the results of 1,232 polling places out of the 5,390 in the 15 counties.

The former international footballer led in 11 counties including Grand Kru, Sinoe, River Gee and Grand Gedeh County where had 76.1% of the votes.

He was trailed by the Vice President Joseph Boakai who led in only the Lofa County by 78.1% while Charles Walker Brumskine also led in Grand Bassa (48.4%) and Rivercess (37.3%).

Prince Johnson led in his Nimba County where he is the Senator by 52.6%.

Click here for the full provisional results

The NEC says it will release the results from the remaining 4,158 polling places in the coming days.

It called on the media not to release unverified results and cautioned the parties and candidates with complaints to express them through the legal channels with supporting evidence.

20 presidential candidates are vying to replace Africa’s first female democratically elected president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

They include former footballer Senator George Weah, Vice President Joseph Boakai, former rebel leader Prince Johnson and the only woman in the race, former model Macdella Cooper.

There were 986 aspirants for the 73 seats in the House of representatives. Their results will be declared later, Korkoya said on Thursday.

2,183,683 people registered to vote and the NEC says it recorded a high turnout.