The Daily IIJ

Grand Gedeh County Senior Senator Isaac W. Nyenabo has finally resigned his post as President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate.

Senator Nyenabo tendered in his resignation in open plenary Tuesday in response to a joint resolution, declaring a vote of no confidence in his leadership including heads of the five statutory committees of the Liberian Senate.

“I hereby resign my post as President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate. I remain the senior senator of Grand Gedeh County,” Senator Nyenabo, in a brief communication addressed to the Senate plenary, said.

The Plenary of the Liberian Senate, the highest decision making body of the Upper House, last Thursday adopted a joint resolution by a vote of 20 senators, declaring a vote of no confidence in the entire leadership of the Liberian Senate including  former Pro Tempore Nyenabo.

The joint resolution, which was signed by 24 senators, resulted to the resignation of the five statutory committees of the Liberian Senate namely: Executive, Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Ways, Means, Finance and Budget and Rules, Order and Administration.

The affected heads of the statutory committees, who tendered in their resignation, included: Senators Gloria Musu Scott of Maryland County, Fredrick Cherue of River Gee County, Abel Massallay of Grand Cape Mount County, Richard Devine of Bomi County and Clarice A. Jah of Margibi County.

According to Senator Nyenabo, he was a victim of deceit, petit jealousy, and hatred allegedly masterminded by some of his colleagues namely Senators Gbehzohngar Findley of Grand Bassa County and Richard Devine of Bomi County, whom he said, vowed openly to oppose every aspect of his leadership.

However, Senator Nyenabo has expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the level of cooperation received during his leadership as President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate.

He promised to work with his colleagues to ensure that that the interest of the Liberian people and the Poverty Reduction Strategy of the Liberian Government are prioritized.

Amid thunderous applauds from fellow senators and well wishers, who stormed the gallery of the senate chambers to watch the proceedings, senator Nyenabo boosted of his academic credentials and intellectual abilities, noting that he conducted the affairs of the Liberian senate well.

Speaking further, Senator Nyenabo announced that he has a case to pursue, not against individual senators, but against what he called the violation of the rule of law by the Liberian Senate as body.

The Grand Gedeh County Senior Senator, who did not further elaborate on his assertion, pointed out that the ruling of the Supreme Court, ordering his immediate reinstatement during his “illegal suspension” by the plenary of the Liberian Senate recently was not brought on the flow of the senate for deliberation.

He maintained that the ruling of the Supreme Court has not been fully acted upon by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate.

He said his salary and other allowances as Senior Senator of Grand Gedeh County totaling US$71,000 withheld by the plenary of the senate during his suspension, is yet to be given him as mandated by the Supreme Court ruling. 

Meanwhile, the Plenary of the senate has unanimously endorsed the resignation of Senator Nyenabo as President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate thus declaring the post of President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate vacant.

The President of the Liberian Senate, Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, told Legislative Correspondents that a date for the conduct of an election to occupy the vacant positions would be announced shortly.

According to him, no senator has notified the plenary of the senate of his or her intention to fill the post of President Pro Tempore as well as the five vacant statutory committee posts.

Senators Sumo Kupee of Lofa County, Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan of Sinoe county, and Cletus Wortorson of Grand Kru County and Lahai Lassana of Bomi county are tipped to contest the post of President Pro Tempore.