By Chrysanthus Ikeh
The former football star won 78% of the vote in Montserrado District, which includes Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, beating the son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took 11% of the vote in the election that took place on Sunday, December 28, 2014.
George Weah, who was named the World’s Best Footballer while playing for AC Milan of Italy, is the only Africa footballer to have won the accolade.
Weah had previously contested for the Liberian presidency in 2005 in which he lost to Ellen-Johnson Sirleaf and was unsuccessful in a 2011 bid for the vice-presidency. He is expected to use his senate seat as a platform to run for the presidency again in 2016.
Weah won the European and Fifa World Player of the Year awards in 1995 and was awarded the African Player of the Year award in 1989, 1994 and 1995 as well.
