The Liberian Senate has been quite restless since Darius Dillon was elected a couple of months ago with his political mantra of “bringing light” to that august body. He has often described the Liberian Senate corrupt and inept, something his supporters cheer while his critics point to his contradictions and hypocrisy. The Montserrado County Senator’s posturing recently boiled over when his habitual demonization of the Senate fell on the bad side of some of his colleagues who think they are being unfairly besmirched and therefore want some checks on the Dillon “excesses”. But the citadel of the Senator, the Collaborating Political Parties, are growling all over the place, not only challenging the checks on Dillon’s vituperation of the Senate but describing the actions against their kind as harassment intended to silence him. The Analyst reports.
The Collaboration of Political Parties (CPP) has gone to the rescue of its member in the House of Senate, Darius Dillon, whose constant foul description of the Senate has landed him into trouble with some of his colleagues in the august body.
The CPP is the leading opposition bloc comprised of former ruling Unity Party, the Alternative National Congress, the Liberty Party of which Dillon is a member, and others.
In a release signed by its National Secretary-General, Aloysius Toe, the CPP expressed what it termed as “grave disappointment” over the decision of the Liberian Senate to investigate Senator Darius Dillion for making comments critical of the Liberian Senate.
“The CPP acknowledges the bravery of Sen. Dillon to expose bribery in the Senate, which understandably caused embarrassment to Senators, but done in the best national interest of Liberia,” the group said, adding that Dillon has shown other lawmakers that they can no longer remain silent thus putting the comfort of their colleagues over the interest of the people.
The release quoted the Chairman of the CPP, Alexander Cummings, as saying that “any attempt by the Senate to muzzle Dillon’s right to free speech as guaranteed by the Liberian Constitution is an attack on our democracy”.
“Shame on the Senate for this reckless vendetta against Dillon, and shame on us the Liberian people if we allow this to happen, and do nothing”, says Alexander Cummings, Chairman of the CPP.
The CPP said it “believes that the current investigation is intended to silence Dillon’s advocacy for the interest of the Liberian people, force him into censorship, and eventually remove him from the Senate,” vehemently objecting to and opposing any attempt to silence, suspend or remove Dillon from the Senate.
“This is a planned and determined effort to silence critical and independent voices in the Senate, and eventually remove them. Dillon, being the loudest opposition voice in the senate, is the primary target”, observed CPP Chairman, Alexander Cummings.
The CPP recalls that the threat to remove Sen. Dillon began on the day of his induction when Senate Pro Temp, Albert Chie of Grand Kru County, did the dishonorable thing of threatening Dillon with removal from the Senate for Dillon declaring his assets and urging other senators to do the same.
The CPP strongly condemned the Senate’s harassment and intimidation of Dillon for doing the right thing.
Chie’s insistence to remove Dillon from the Senate unless Dillon plays by secret and corrupt rules and joins the bandwagon of corruption in the senate is abominably disgusting and a betrayal of the Liberian people, the CPP asserted.
“Chie, a member of the ruling party, whose failure to exercise leadership and ensure the independence of the Senate, has led to seemingly corruption-induced actions by the Senate, including the unconstitutional removal of an Associate Justice, and the surreptitious confirmation of many questionable executive appointees, often under allegations of bribery,” the release charges. “He is the one who should be investigated and removed from the Senate. We call on all well-meaning Liberians to stand against this injustice and ensure that Sen. Dillon remains in the Senate to continue fighting for you.”