Jefferson Koijee, Secretary General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has launched a scathing attack on Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, accusing him of betraying the trust of his constituents and engaging in lavish spending while ignoring the plight of ordinary Liberians. This, according to Koijee, makes the Montserrado County Senator “a monument of deception”.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Koijee questioned Dillon’s self-proclaimed image as “Mr. Light,” an advocate for transparency and honesty, alleging that the senator had used this persona to deceive both Montserrado residents and members of the Liberian diaspora. Koijee accused Dillon of engaging in “outrageous transactions” as Chair of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, stating that his actions now reflect a sharp contrast to the populist stance he once took.
“Yesterday, when he wasn’t in leadership, he made it appear as if he had the people’s interest at heart,” Koijee wrote, “but today, there’s a $20 million budgetary alteration, $15 million off-budget expenditure, $150,000 allocated for each senator, and a $45,000 car, again amongst others.”
The CDC official further criticized Dillon for remaining silent on key issues, including a $100,000 credit card allegedly held by Unity Party (UP) presidential candidate Joseph Boakai. Koijee claimed Boakai and Dillon have turned a blind eye to the suffering of civil servants, the lack of critical medical equipment at JFK Hospital, and the unaffordable school fees for many Liberians.
Koijee also called out Dillon for allegedly flying business class during his travels, which he claims contradicts Dillon’s earlier statements that such luxuries would “shame his mom” and his constituents. “Today, as of now, he flew business class to New York,” Koijee added, accusing the senator of normalizing the behavior since trips to South Korea and China.
The Facebook post reflected Koijee’s larger argument that Dillon’s leadership has failed to address Liberia’s economic challenges, which the senator previously criticized as putting the country’s economy in the “toilet”. Koijee emphasized that, under Dillon’s leadership, the Senate’s budget for 103 individuals stands at US$58 million, a figure he deems unacceptable given the dire conditions faced by many Liberians.
“Dillon is a mistake that must be corrected; he has shamed everyone who brought him here,” Koijee concluded, urging Liberians to reject what he described as Dillon’s empty rhetoric and political showmanship.
Senator Dillon, a vocal critic of government’s corruption, has yet to respond to Koijee’s accusations.