Liberia awaits result of Prez polls

Monrovia, Dec. 28: c Liberia on Thursday peacefully awaited the results of a landmark presidential poll pitting former football star George Weah against vice- president Joseph Boakai in the first democratic transfer of power after decades and two devastating civil wars.

Whoever wins will succeed the continent’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took over at the helm of Africa’s oldest republic in 2006.

“The Liberian people clearly made their choice... and all together we are very confident in the result of the electoral process,” tweeted Mr Weah.

He topped the first round of voting in October with 38.4 percent of ballots but failed to win the 50 percent necessary to avoid a runoff.

Mer Weah is the only African ever to have won Fifa’s World Player of the Year and the coveted Ballon D’Or — one of football’s most prestigious awards.

He starred in top- flight European football teams Paris Saint- Germain and AC Milan in the 1990s before playing briefly for Chelsea and Manchester City later in his career. This is his third shot at the presidency and Chelsea icon Didier Drogba has already sent Mr Weah a congratulatory message.

“Is it President Weah?” said the New Dawn paper, referring to a man who has the backing of heavyweights including former warlord Prince Johnson.