Liberian football legend George Weah has been declared winner of the presidential run-off of the West African country held on December 26.
The 51-year-old three-time African Player of the Year becomes the country’s 25th president after defeating 73-year-old incumbent vice president Joseph Boakai. He succeeds Africa’s first elected female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who has ruled the West African nation for 12 years.
The former AC Milan and PSG striker clinched 12 of the 15 counties in the country. Weah promised to build roads, create jobs for the youth and fight corruption in one of Africa’s oldest nations of four million people.
The 1995 Ballon d’Or winner came close in 2005 presidential election but lost to Sirleaf.
“It is a great day for Liberians especially the youths. We are happy because the will of the people has been met,” James Doh, a Monrovia-based computer scientist told ACLsports.com.
“The biggest challenge now for Weah is meeting the aspirations of the people which is jobs, infrastructure and transparent administration.”
Weah emerged as winner of the first round with 39.0% of the vote followed by Boakai, who garnered 29.1%, but both fell short of the 51% required for an outright victory.
