EX-FOOTBALLER WINS

Weah beats challenger in a landslide victory in first democratic transfer of power

MONROVIA

FORMER star footballer George Weah was named winner of Liberia’s presidential election on Thursday, easily beating his challenger in the country’s first democratic transfer of power in seven decades scarred by civil wars, political assassinations and an Ebola crisis.

With almost all ballots counted, Weah wasted no time in acknowledging his win.

“My fellow Liberians, I deeply feel the emotion of all the nation. I measure the importance and the responsibility of the immense task which I embrace today. Change is on,” he posted on Twitter.

Hundreds of his supporters took to the streets here, singing, dancing and embracing each other as news of his victory spread.

“I’ve never been so happy in all my life. We were in opposition for 12 years. We’re going to make history, like the children of South Africa did. I’m so excited,” said Josephine Davies, vice-president of the Youth wing of Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change.

“We’ve waited 12 years. Now. the power is going to the people.”

Weah, 51, is set to replace Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took over in 2006 at the helm of the west African state founded for freed slaves.

The National Election Commission (NEC) said Weah won 61.5 per cent of Tuesday’s run-off vote, which was delayed several weeks after a legal challenge from his opponent, Vice-President