Liberian President Weah concedes defeat after provisional results show Boakai won

Liberia's President George Weah speaks at the Presidential palace during a visit to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, April 4, 2018. He conceded defeat Friday after provisional results from this week's runoff vote showed challenger Joseph Boakai beating him. [Via VOA]

The 57-year-old former international soccer star won the 2017 election after his promise to fight poverty and generate infrastructure development. It was the first democratic transfer of power in the West African nation since the end of the country's back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003 that killed some 250,000 people.

But Weah has been accused of not living up to key campaign promises that he would fight corruption and ensure justice for victims of conflict.

Tuesday's second round lived up to expectations of an extremely tight contest following last month's first round, in which Weah got 43.83% of the votes and Boakai 43.44% to move on to the runoff. Boakai later managed to win endorsements from the candidates who finished third, fourth, and fifth.

Boakai, 78, served as vice president under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first democratically elected female leader. He appeared to have an upper hand in the vote because of the many Liberians aggrieved over the unfulfilled promises of Weah to fix the country's ailing economy and stamp out corruption, said Ryan Cummings, director of Africa-focused Signal Risk consulting.

The outcome of the second round so far shows "public disaffection with his (Weah's) administration with Boakai considered a viable alternative for a lot of Liberians," Cummings said.

Weah is the only African to have won international soccer's Ballon d'Or. He played as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea, and Manchester City during an 18-year club career.

His 23-year-old son, Tim, plays for Serie A club Juventus and the U.S. national team.