Liberia: Sen. Dillon’s Staff Attacks FPA, Exposes ‘Rift’ in CPP

MONROVIA – A staff in the office of Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has launched stinging attacks against the political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings, and FrontPageAfrica newspaper of being in a political ploy to defame and injure the characters of his boss and the political leader of the former ruling Unity Party (UP), Mr. Joseph Nyemah Boakai.

The ANC is one of the political parties that make up the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP). Other political parties that form part of the CPP include the former ruling Unity Party (UP), All Liberian Party (ALP) and the Liberty Party (LP).

In a statement posted on his Facebook page under the caption “Cummings attacking the only conscious voices in the CPP”, Joseph Vallai accused Mr. Cummings of being a novice to Liberia.

Vallai is one of the youth leaders of the UP and a strong supporter of ex-Liberian Vice President Boakai.

He claimed that Mr. Cummings has been allegedly sponsoring “thugs”, including the Managing Editor of the FrontPageAfrica newspaper, Mr. Rodney Sieh, to injure the “impeccable characters” of his boss and political leader.

“Alexander Cummings has been making rounds across the country as the man poised to being Liberia’s ‘next President.’ The ex-Coca Cola Executive who knows little about Liberia has been unable to garner the support of the masses even in his own home town of Maryland where he remains very unpopular till date”.

“That’s not what marvels me the most but his sponsorship of naysayers and political thugs like Rodney Sieh and FrontPageAfrica to launch stinging attacks on impeccable characters like Joseph Nyumah Boakai and Senator Darius Dillon”.

Vallai further claimed that sprouting out of a far fifth place in 2017 with 7.2% of the total votes cast during the presidential and legislative elections, “it is no secret that FrontPageAfrica latest actions against Senator Dillon which has been sustained in the papers for little over a month have been fully sponsored by this failed businessman, Fourth Placer, Alexander Cummings”.

He added that Mr. Cummings is allegedly launching attacks against Senator Dillon and Mr. Boakai because, he (Cummings) fears Dillon who won with 206, 368 votes amounting to 61.3% of the total number of valid votes cast during the senatorial election held on December 8, 2020.

He maintained that Mr. Cummings votes of 112, 067 or 7.21% in general and Presidential elections show that he performed poorly as compared to Senator Dillon who obtained the highest votes in the history of senatorial elections in Liberia.

Vallai described the results of Mr. Cummings during the 2017 general and presidential elections as a “poor showing for a millionaire campaigning in one of the poorest countries in the world”.

“Cummings thinks Dillon’s showing above him in a single county to him nationwide clearly signifies that Dillon has built himself politically to being a leader in the making”.

Boakai/Dillon ticket

He claimed that Mr. Cummings and his likes are worried about “how all their heavily backed financial efforts to showcase him will likely diminish” when they lose to Mr. Boakai in the upcoming CPP primaries.

The CPP is expected to elect a political leader very soon ahead of the general and presidential elections in 2023.

Vallai emphasized that his boss-Senator Dillon remains the most formidable person for running mate in a CPP arrangement and a Boakai/Dillon 2023 ticket is the best for Liberia.

He pointed out that all of the distractions, attacks and rants against Senator Dillon are being allegedly sponsored heavily by the ANC for the single intent to discourage supporters against making his boss (Dillon) viable in society.

Spending sleepless nights

Vallai further accused the ANC Political Leader of spending “sleepless nights with his team strategizing on attacking Dillon and Boakai”.

“He (Cummings) can be assured what’s destine is destined, he can never surmount the political leverage Dillon has made for himself. I will advise him to basically join in the quest to have Liberians benefit greatly from their resources”.

He questioned the rationale behind Mr. Cummings consistent attack and criticism against Senator Dillon for receiving the amount of US$30, 000 even though other lawmakers, including the Chairman of the ANC Senator Daniel Naatehn received a similar amount.

The money was given to each Representative and Senator by the Government of Liberia (GOL) through budgetary allocation for “legislative engagements”.

“Why is Cummings only attacking Dillon for receiving 30, 000 USD when in fact all the lawmakers including his party chairman Hon. Daniel Naetehn received a similar amount? Cummings detests Dillon and Boakai, he sees the two as blocking his chances of getting the CPP’s nomination”.

On solo

Speaking further, Vallai noted that Mr. Cummings has been on solo with the CPP following his engagements with citizens through his “so-called foundation with total disregard for the CPP’s arrangement.

According to him, the ANC Political Leader has also been on a “deadly political maneuvering by recruiting and sponsoring Unity party partisans and Liberty Party partisans to create havoc within their respective parties”.

He maintained that the alleged action of Mr. Cummings is a show of “desperation and a sign of division within our ranks”.

Fight in CPP

“The fight within the CPP sponsored by Cummings and his likes is not only meant to undermine the institution but the Liberian people quest for better opportunities, booming economy and leadership. Simply put, Cummings is fighting Liberians, not Dillon and Boakai”.

In reaction, the Editor of FPA, Lennart Dodoo, pointed out that FrontPageAfrica has always been the “mirror in which Senator Dillon has reflected his image”.

“Dillon glowed as a LIGHT, FrontPageAfrica reflected his LIGHT. Now that he’s is glowing something else, and FPA is reflecting the same, it has become an issue. Whatever FPA has reported on Dillon is his own doing, his own words. Nothing has been proven wrong. Let’s own up and move on. JOURNALISM is what we do at FrontPageAfrica not POLITICS”.

He added, “FrontPageAfrica has no political affiliation. The funny thing is that all political parties, whether ruling or opposition have accused us of siding with the other. But in the business of journalism, this allegation is expected, but it does not deter us from reporting without fear or favor. We have a responsibility to properly inform them and that’s what we’ve been doing.”

Recently, FrontPageAfrica published two separate articles which questioned the character and integrity of Senator Dillon who professed to be the “light” that would make changes at the National Legislature.

The separate news articles include the lie told by Senator Dillon who rode business class on a commercial flight to the United States and his acceptance of the additional US$15,000 given for “legislative engagements”

Following the publications of the separate articles, Senator Dillon rendered an apology to his mother and supporters for the lie told concerning his flight.

FPA’s publication of  Senator Dillon receiving the second amount of US$15,000 for legislative engagement prompted the Montserrado County lawmaker to turn over the amount to a committee set up by him to initiate developmental projects barely a day after the publication.

 For his part, Fubbi Henries, a stalwart of the ANC, lashed at Vallai for not being ‘man enough to proffer advice to his boss-Senator Dillon behind closed doors.

“The easiest thing to do in life is to shift blames. Sadly, blames don’t solve problems. Accusations made against Mr. Cummings for things Sen. Dillon has or had control over say a lot about you. Walk into your boss’s office and advise him, rather than look for someone to carry his cross”.

“I have seen others write such and chose not to get into their discussions. I came under yours because I expected better from you. Meaning, I hold you higher than many of the jokers I see writing. Don’t drop the Ball.

Our loyalty should be to Liberia and not individuals”.