Monrovia — Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon has publicly rebuked Deputy Information Minister Daniel O. Sando over his attack on Senator Amara Konneh, warning his fellow Unity Party partisan to exercise restraint and avoid using religion as a weapon in political disagreements.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline .com
Dillon’s intervention came after Sando accused Konneh of helping orchestrate the defeat of then-Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in the 2017 presidential election and suggested that Konneh bears moral and historical responsibility for George Weah’s subsequent presidency.
But Dillon, who described Sando as a “younger brother,” said the deputy minister’s reference to Konneh’s religion and religious beliefs was inappropriate and “out of order.”
“Your recent comments directed at Sen. Amara Konneh essentially referencing his religion and religious belief were inappropriate and out of order, from my viewpoint,” Dillon said in a public message directed at Sando.
“There are many other ways to respond to issues than the manner and path you have chosen. You need to reach out to make amends!!” he added.
Dillon’s rebuke is significant because he and Sando are members of the Liberia Party ruling Unity Party, making his intervention an unusually public call for restraint from within the governing political establishment.
‘I May Not Be the Best Moral Voice’
Dillon began his message by acknowledging his own imperfections and long experience in Liberian politics. “Let me do this in public this time around. I may not be the right or best ‘moral voice’ to advise you,” Dillon told Sando.
He said his own shortcomings as a human being and national leader did not prevent him from sharing lessons acquired through more than two decades in public service.
“I have been around for a good while now and have gained some experience in public service,” Dillon said. “I have grown from a youth to a full-grown adult in public service for over 20 years.”
Drawing on advice from his mother when he was growing up, Dillon urged Sando to slow down and exercise greater caution.
“I can still recall when I was a kid growing up, my mother used to say … ‘My son, you better take time in life; you got far way to go,’” Dillon recalled.
He said he initially misunderstood the advice, believing his mother was simply trying to prevent him from doing things his own way.
But, with the benefit of experience, Dillon said he now understands the importance of restraint.
‘I Have Seen It All’
Dillon also pointed to his own political journey, describing himself as a consequential figure both in opposition and now in collaboration with the Boakai administration.
“No doubt, I have been a relevant and consequential figure in opposition in our national politics, and now a relevant and consequential figure (with humility) in collaboration with the current, ruling administration,” he said.
“I have seen it all in my lifetime … thus far!” Dillon added.
The senator said he has experienced both praise and criticism throughout his political career.
“I have been liked at times, disliked at times, as well as booed at times and cheered on at times. I have seen it all … thus far,” he said.
His comments appeared aimed at cautioning Sando against allowing immediate political approval to influence how he conducts himself as a government official.
Sando’s Attack on Konneh
Sando’s comments came amid an increasingly heated political exchange over Konneh’s criticism of the Boakai administration, particularly its handling of Liberia’s ongoing cocaine crisis.
In a Facebook post, Sando described Konneh as a “scheming trickster” and accused him of working with unnamed co-conspirators to undermine Boakai’s presidential bid in 2017. Sando alleged that the political maneuver ultimately facilitated Weah’s election.
He further argued that Konneh bears “moral and historical responsibility” for the consequences of the Weah presidency.
Sando also questioned Konneh’s political history, arguing that the senator has never genuinely supported Boakai’s political ambitions and that his current criticism of the administration lacks credibility.
The deputy minister’s remarks became more personal when he addressed Konneh’s criticism of President Boakai’s age.
“Amara is simply beyond redemption, and I maintain he needs repentance,” Sando wrote. He defended Boakai’s record, contrasting the president’s age with what he described as the failures of the former Weah administration.
Konneh Hits Back
Konneh responded by defending his faith and his right to criticize the administration. “The lazy man blames the sun for the unfinished work!” Konneh said. He described himself as a practicing Muslim who prays five times a day, fasts, and gives charity to the poor.
“I am a proud Liberian Muslim who prays five times a day, fasts, and donates charity to the poor,” Konneh said. He rejected the suggestion that his religious beliefs should be invoked in the political debate. “I don’t need an unskilled sycophant riding on the back of an aging President to tell me to go to the mosques and pray,” Konneh said.
The senator also defended his criticism of the government’s handling of the cocaine investigation, saying he had worked to bring the Unity Party to power with a promise to fight illicit drugs.
“I speak out against this cocaine scheme because I love my country and worked hard to bring in this UP government with the promise to rid our nation of drugs,” Konneh said.
“So far, we are struggling to fulfill that promise,” he added.
Konneh maintained that his position was part of his responsibility as a national leader.
“I have earned the right to speak up, especially as a national leader and a voice for those affected by illicit drugs whose voices may not be heard,” he said.
“Silence would be complicity. I am doing my job. You do your job, too, so we can make Liberia a drug-free country and a better country than it was two and a half years ago. Everybody wins!”
Dillon’s Warning
For Dillon, however, the dispute has crossed a line that requires correction.
His central message to Sando was that political disagreement does not justify attacks touching on another official’s religion.
“You need to reach out to make amends!!” Dillon told him.
He also warned Sando about political supporters who encourage aggressive rhetoric today but may abandon those defending it tomorrow.
“Do not follow some of these political clapping and cheers … they may be temporary and can shift!!” Dillon cautioned.
The senator’s comments effectively separate political criticism from personal and religious attacks, while acknowledging Sando’s right to engage in political debate.
But Dillon made clear that, in his view, the manner in which Sando challenged Konneh was unacceptable.
A Party Dispute Becomes Public
The exchange has exposed another layer of tension within the ruling Unity Party, where officials and political actors have increasingly taken divergent positions over the government’s performance and its response to the cocaine crisis.
Konneh has emerged as a vocal critic of the administration’s handling of the drug investigation, while Sando has defended President Boakai and attacked Konneh’s political record.
Dillon’s intervention now introduces a call for moderation from within the same political camp.
While Dillon did not endorse Konneh’s broader criticisms of the administration, his message focused on the conduct of the debate and the need for Sando to reconsider the language he used.
For a government facing intense scrutiny over the cocaine investigation and other governance issues, the public disagreement among its own political allies could prove politically consequential.
Dillon’s warning suggests that, at least for some within the ruling establishment, defending the administration should not come at the expense of political restraint, respect for religious differences and responsible public discourse.
And his closing advice to Sando was direct: do not allow today’s political cheers to dictate conduct that could carry consequences long after the applause fades
