IPNEWS: Last week, Jefferson Koijee, Exile Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), publicly accused Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of hypocrisy for allegedly supporting the confirmation of Fatima Bintu Sirleaf as Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs.
Koijee labeled Senator Dillon a “national monument of deception,” arguing that the Senator betrayed his anti-corruption and integrity stance by backing Sirleaf despite her admission of lying under oath about her academic credentials. Koijee contrasted this with Dillon’s past role in rejecting nominees for similar reasons.
Fatima Bintu Sirleaf was confirmed by the Liberian Senate on November 18, 2025, after a second hearing where she apologized for misleading lawmakers about having a minor in Urban Development. The vote was 17 in favor and only one against.
On the contrary, Senator Dillon rejects Koijee’s claims as “misleading and uninformed”. He clarified that he did not vote during the confirmation because he was presiding over the Senate session that day; per Senate rules, a presiding officer only votes in the event of a tie.
This exchange is part of a series of criticisms from Koijee toward Dillon in 2025, which also included allegations regarding the Senator’s travel expenses and his handling of budgetary matters as Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon firmly rejected claims by Jefferson T. Koijee, Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change, that he supported the confirmation of Fatima Bintu Sirleaf.
Dillon described the allegation as misleading and uninformed, clarifying that he did not cast a vote during the confirmation process. According to the Senator, he was presiding over the Senate session on the day the confirmation took place, a role that constitutionally and procedurally bars him from voting except in the event of a tie.
“Even the media can be deliberately uninformed sometimes,” Dillon said. “I presided over the Senate that day. A presiding officer does not vote unless there is a tie.”
The clarification comes amid sharp criticism from Koijee, who accused Dillon of betraying his long-standing anti-corruption posture by allegedly backing a nominee facing allegations of submitting false academic credentials. Koijee’s remarks quickly gained traction in political circles, fueling debate over consistency and integrity in Liberia’s governance process.
Dillon’s response directly contradicts that narrative. He stressed that Senate rules are explicit: a presiding officer has no voting right unless a tie occurs—something he says did not happen during Sirleaf’s confirmation. As such, Dillon maintains that he neither supported nor opposed the confirmation through a vote.
The exchange underscores ongoing political tensions between opposition figures and the ruling establishment, while also highlighting the importance of procedural accuracy in public discourse. For Dillon, the matter is straightforward: the accusation, he insists, ignores basic legislative rules and misrepresents his role in the Senate on that
In a swift rebuttal, Jefferson Koijee stated that Senator Dillon reaction confirms his allegations outlined that he is a ‘soulless opportunist and a fraud’.
Koijee said even assuming Dillon, as Presiding Officer, could not cast a vote, the critical question remains unanswered: what was his public position on a nominee who deliberately lied under oath? Silence in the face of perjury is not neutrality; it is complicity.
“Dillon’s conduct is even more disgraceful. As a ranking member of the relevant Senate committee, he participated in granting a known liar a so-called “second chance,” only to turn around and confirm her afterward. That is not oversight it is mockery of the Senate’s constitutional duty.
Dillon’s behavior reduces the Senate to farce. A man who cannot distinguish accountability from convenience is unfit to continue serving in that chamber.
Shame on Dillon and shame on his colleagues who chose expediency over integrity.” Jefferson T. Koijee, Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change, Concludes.
