Monrovia – Senator Steve Zargo of Liberty Party and Lofa County has disclosed that he will be contesting for the seat of the Senate Pro-Tempore post in the pending election to elect a new Pro-tempore.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
The new Pro-Tempore will replace Senator Armah Z. Jallah of Gbarpolu County. Sen. Jallah, who has not shown interest to contest, was ending the tenure of former Grand Bassa County Senator Gbezhongar Findley, who was not re-elected during the 2014 Senatorial by-election.
Sen. Zargo said his pursuit is to provide the leadership that will work selflessly with the new government in answering to the calls of the Liberian people.
His latest declaration puts him at odd with Senator Albert Chie of Grand Kru, who is yet to make his intention public but speculation amounts that he might be a “formidable force.”
Senator Zargo, who chairs the Senate Defense, Security, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs Committees made the announcement Monday, January 8, at a press conference. He is among 15 new lawmakers, who got elected in 2014 during the special senatorial elections.
Prior to his Monday declaration, the Lofa County lawmaker, on December 5th, 2017, addressed a communication to Senate Pro-temp Jallah expressing his intent to contest for the position of the Senate Pro-Tempore in the event Senator George Weah wins the runoff election.
Rule 14, Section 1 of the Senate’s Standing Rules states: “Following General and Presidential Elections, the Secretary of the Senate on the first day of the regular session will announce to all present the vacancy for a President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who shall be elected for a six-year term.”
“The last 150 plus weeks working together in the Senate have created a perfect opportunity for us to know each other better than when we first came in the 2nd week of January 2015. Let me first and foremost thank all of my colleagues of the Senate for the opportunity given me as a freshmen Senator to be on the Senate leadership.”
Zargo believed that as the First Branch of government undergoes a comprehensive reform process that requires the total involvement of all lawmakers, there is no better time to unite “if we must lead exemplarily and not repeat the wrong of the past.”
“We should exercise high moral rectitude couple with respect to the rule of law. More besides, we have to geographically balance this country in this critical period of our country history,” he said.
Disclosing some of what he might undertake if elected by his colleague to be the “first among equals”, he intends to lobby with his colleagues and international partners to provide basic short, medium and long-term capacity building for staffers of the Senate for its effective and efficient services to the Liberian people.
The Lofa lawmaker also expressed his desire to rebrand the image of the Senate by system and policies put in place to help reclaim the public trust, confidence and respect.
“Strengthening relationship with the other branches of our government is a demanding obligation; we must move this country forward together.
However, mutual respect for fellow senators must crown these efforts. We must provide a leadership that has the commitment to protect our economy and upholds institutional integrity.”