The situation surrounding the confirmation hearing of Cllr. Frank Musah Dean for the position of Associate Justice on the Supreme Court Bench and Atty. Dr. Samora P.Z. Wolokolie for Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) now squarely lies in the purview of President George Manneh Weah, as the Senate staffers have agreed to return sanity to the ground of the National Legislature.
The Liberian Senate has recently been a scene of disturbance, obstructing senators from conducting sessions and subsequently affecting the hearings of the two presidential nominees for the Supreme Court and LRA. They based their confrontation on not receiving their Constitutional benefits when called back for extra sitting by the President.
However, after interventions from several senators, as stated by the leader of the protesting staffers, Charles Brown, they have agreed to return to normalcy. Unfortunately, they returned to normalcy on the day when the National Legislature was wrapping up for closure.
The Senate completed its extra sitting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 and will resume on Monday, January 15, 2023, when they are expected to conduct the election for the positions of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Pro-Tempore for the 55th National Legislature.
A high-ranking official of the Liberian Senate told the Hot Pepper that, now that the protest has subsided at the Senate, whether or not the confirmation hearing will be held for Cllr. Dean or Atty. Wolokolie lies with the President. According to the Senate official, the President still has between now and Saturday to recalled them in order for them to conduct the hearing. However, the official pointed out that if President Weah fails to recall them until Monday the new administration of Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai will have the authority either to renominate the same individuals or announce others for the vacant positions.
The senator (name withheld) argued that if President Weah wants for his nominees to go through, he will recall them, but if not the nomination could become null and void without any hearing.