The Liberian Senate says it will not take up a Supreme Court order to reinstate the suspended President Pro-Tempore of the Senate until the senate returns from its current agriculture break in January.
President Pro-Temp of the Senate Isaac Nyenabo was suspended last month by his colleagues for ineptness. But the Supreme Court ruled that Nyenabo should be reinstated. Some have suggested that the Senate is refusing to adhere to the higher court's order. Senator Lahai
Lansana is the acting President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate. He told VOA the Supreme Court's ruling would have to wait until the Senate returns from its agriculture break some time in January.
"I don't think the Liberian Senate will in any way disrespect the Supreme Court. But this is not a ruling from the Supreme Court. It is an instruction given by the justice in chamber, and when that instruction we were already in the process of closing. Our agenda had already been formed, and our rule says when a communication comes from outside of the Executive Mansion or the House of Representatives, it should take 24 hours before it can form part of our agenda. And our constitution says that when both House adjourned one of them cannot go back to do any business unless the two houses come back," he said.
Lansana said the senate voted to suspend President Pro-Temp Nyenabo because of Nyenabo's leadership style.
"For the past two years we have had series of retreats to try to admonish to change his leadership style. But to our greatest surprise Senator Nyenable has failed to change. I think there should be some fights whenever you have disagreement with your subordinates, but you should not try to put your subordinates' heads together. It created so much confusion that senators no longer used to meet and discuss issues. That was not the leadership role that we elected him for," Lansana said.
He said the senate plans to have lengthy discussions on the Supreme Court's order to reinstate the suspended when it returns from its break.
"As soon as we return the issue will form part of the agenda; we have lengthy discussion on it. We will follow the procedures in plenary. But to do it on our agriculture break would be a bad precedence," Lansana said.
