Weah behind in Liberia election

LIBERIA’S top female politician took a strong lead over her millionaire football star opponent in early returns from the war-ravaged West African nation’s presidential run-off.

National Election Commission chairwoman Frances Johnson-Morris said that with results in from 33% of polling stations across the country, including the capital, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had 60.4% of the vote so far. George Weah had 39.6%.

Former AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City star Mr Weah claimed poll workers stuffed the ballot boxes in Ms Johnson-Sirleaf’s favour.

“The world is saying this election was free and fair, which was not true,” Mr Weah said, displaying 39 ballots marked for Johnson-Sirleaf that he claimed were among the extra ballots workers had been supplied with.

Alan Doss, head of the UN Mission in Liberia, said the vote “offered the people of Liberia an opportunity to leave behind the conflict that has devastated this country for so long and turned the page on a very dark chapter in their history.”

Founded by freed American slaves in the mid-1800s, Africa’s first republic was once among its most prosperous.

Years of war ended in 2003 when warlord- turned-president Charles Taylor was forced to step down.

A 15,000-strong UN force was deployed afterward, and now support a transitional government led by Gyude Bryant.