Liberia’s outgoing president, George Weah, emphasized through local media on Monday that he has no plans to run for presidential role again after his recent defeat in elections.
George Weah, aged 57 and a former international football star, claimed the presidency in 2017 but faced a defeat in the November polls to Joseph Boakai, scheduled to be inaugurated on January 22.
Read also: Liberia: Weah Hailed For Sportsmanship After Accepting Defeat
Weah, in a speech to congregants at the church outside the capital Monrovia on Sunday, discussed his future and highlighted his age at the next presidential vote in 2029, according to a recording of his remarks available to AFP.
‘I am 57 now and our retirement age is 65 and six years from now I will be 63 and I cannot work for two years,’ he said.
‘You are not going to drag me to politics until I reach 90 years,’ he added.
‘I became a president, so I say thank you Liberians that I became president whether it was one time or 50 times, but I can guarantee you that it’s one time.’
Weah refrained from disclosing his future plans but expressed his commitment to working for peace and prosperity in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Acknowledged for his concession and efforts toward a non-violent transition, particularly in a region with a turbulent history of coups.
Weah’s pre-political career as a striker for top-flight European teams was marked by an exceptional achievement—being the only African to secure football’s most prestigious individual award, the Ballon d’Or.
With a slim margin of 20,567 ballots and a 50.64 percent vote share, Boakai, at the age of 79, narrowly won over Weah.