Liberia: Senate Leadership to Investigate ‘The Light’ Exposing Ills Amongst His Peers

Monrovia – The Liberian Senate Leadership is investigating Senator Abraham Darius Dillon (Liberty Party, Montserrado County) based on a complaint filed by Senator George Tengbeh (Coalition for Democratic Change – Lofa County) for what he called acts unbecoming of senator of this Republic.

Senator Tengbeh in his communication claimed that Senator Dillon and Cohorts have in recent months embarked on a “smear campaign” aimed at denigrating the Liberian Senate both wholly and individually.

The Lofa County Senator alleged that his peer has willfully and intentionally distorted the image of the Senate, causing massive injury to the characters of Senators and the institution.

Senator Tengbeh said: “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.”

“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.”

Senator George Tengbeh(Unity Party, Lofa County)

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.”

The Lofa County Senator said Senator Dillon, in pursuit of his seemingly selfish political objectives, has stated many times that he and his cohorts will embark upon his image-tarnishing spree of Senators in their respective counties. In furtherance of his devilish plan, the Senator on Monday, May 25, 2020 launched an attack on the character of Senator Jonathan Kaipay in his home County Grand Bassa causing further injury to the Senator’s reputation, dignity and strength of his representation.”

Last August, Mr. Dillon shook the political establishment with an emphatic victory in the Montserrado County Senatorial race.

In final numbers representing results from all 1, 790 polling places or 100 percent in the Montserrado County Senatorial elections, Mr. Dillon secured a total of 102,549 votes for 55.74 percent to Wie’s 63,971 votes for 34.77 percent.

Ironically, in the 2014 Senatorial by-elections, George Manneh Weah won 78% of the vote for the Montserrado county seat, when he defeated Robert Sirleaf, the son of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took nearly 11%. 

 Since entering the Senate Mr. Dillon has used his presence to shine light on numerous misdeeds in the Senate and became the first elected official in recent memory to make public the salaries of the members of the legislative branch.

Mr. Dillon has been a vocal voice in numerous confirmation hearings, asking serious questions to nominees for appointed positions. His voice was widely heralded in the nominations of Cllr. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, President George Weah’s nominee to head the National Elections Commission and Mr. Tarplah Z. Davis, Deputy Minister of Defense for Operations nominee. Both men were rejected.