MONROVIA – After all, Montserrado County Abraham Darius Dillon is not the only Senator who is aggrieved over the manner in which the Liberian Senate is being governed, Bomi County Senator Sando Johnson believes his colleagues who are paying blind eye to the ‘bad leadership’ are just being sycophants.
His outburst comes as the Pro-Tempore of the Senate, Albert Chie, is expected to hold a meeting with the Senate leadership on Tuesday to discuss Senator George Tengbeh’s complaint filed against the Sen. Dillon.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that the meeting is scheduled to start at noon with the aim of possibly expelling Senator Dillon. It is planned to take place in the conference room at the Capitol.
Several Senators contacted by FrontPageAfrica to express their opinion on the development said they could not speak on the matter as it is under investigation.
But Senator Johnson believes the move by the Senate leadership must be rejected by all citizens.
“We believe the Liberian people should reject this nonsense because it’s certainly counterproductive,” he said.
He added, “I see sycophancy among us; only because some of us want to be elected so badly to the extent that we see wrong and call it right. Because of these attitudes, we are looked down in the eyes of people. I am so disappointed to see the Liberian Senate divided into blocs.”
“Nobody in their sound mind should believe or think that we will remain silent. Our quiet tone is not a sign of weakness. We are fully prepared to act. Enough is enough. If no one in the Senate wants to stand up to tell members of the leadership that the manner in which the Senate is being managed doesn’t represent us, I will be the one speak out. Because at the end of the day, all of us individually will be held liable.”
– Senator Sando Johnson (NPP, Bomi County)
Senator Johnson criticized the fact that there have been no financial reports from the Senate’s Ways, Means, Finance and Budget Committee on the financial transaction of the Senate.
For Senator Johnson the Senate cannot brag of integrity and demand respect when there is no accountability in the Senate. He described the situation as “sad”.
Montserrado County Senator Dillon is being investigated for describing his colleagues as “rotten, useless and spineless”.
Senator George Tengbeh of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change in his complaint letter stated that, Senator Dillon and his cohorts have embarked on a “smear campaign” aimed at denigrating the Liberian Senate both wholly and individually.
He added that the Montserrado County Senator has willfully and intentionally distorted the image of the Senate, causing massive injury to the characters of Senators and the institution.
He stated in the complaint: “On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, Senator Dillon accused all Senators who affixed their signatures to the Senate resolution containing the COVID-19 recast budget and certain fiscal measures of receiving bribes. I demand the senator to provide proof of the commission of this highly felonious crime by twenty-three senators who signed the document.”
The Lofa County Senator’s letter of complaint was referenced on an interview where he (Tengbeh) alleged that Senator Dillon had several weeks ago and “deceptively” told the Public that he received an amount of US$ 6,500.00 as operational funds when the amount was US$8,000.
Though Tengbeh had earlier kept the information private until Senator Dillon revealed the information, he said in his communication: “This is gross dishonesty on the part of the Montserrado County Senator and has no place in the Senate. It is honorable to disclose fully and criminal to disclose partially.”
In reference to the Senate standing rules, which he claimed calls for order and perfect decorum during session, the Lofa County Senator accused Senator Dillon of being in the constant habit of disrupting Senate session and showing no respect to officers of the Senate who try to bring him to order.
Said Tengbeh: “The constant invectives rained by Senator Dillon on the Liberian Senate are abhorrent and prohibitive. He describes individual Senators as spineless when they vote for what they believe in the Senate as a rotten place. It is my belief that Senator Dillon does not belong in his so-called rotten institution.”
Enough Is Enough
Last week, Senator Nyonblee Kangar-Lawrence expressed her solidarity with Senator as she posted to Facebook, “Touch one touch all, Dillon you’re covered”.
Senator Johnson who had been quiet on the matter since it erupted insinuated that the Montserrado County lawmaker was right about his criticism of the Senate and its leadership.
He said, “Nobody in their sound mind should believe or think that we will remain silent. Our quiet tone is not a sign of weakness. We are fully prepared to act. Enough is enough. If no one in the Senate wants to stand up to tell members of the leadership that the manner in which the Senate is being managed doesn’t represent us, I will be the one speak out. Because at the end of the day, all of us individually will be held liable.”