NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) has warned certain individuals in Nimba County to desist from attacking Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon for carrying out his legislative responsibilities.
The warning follows a recent statement issued by a group calling itself Nimba University Students, which accused Senator Dillon of working to block the confirmation hearing of Youth and Sports Minister-Designate Cornelia Kruah, a native of Nimba County.
The group further alleged that Senator Dillon was acting against the interests of Nimba County due to his outspoken criticism of how Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah has been administering the labor sector. Cornelia Kruah, the Minister-Designate for Youth and Sports, is the daughter of Cllr. Cooper Kruah.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
Others think that these allegations and recurring attacks portraying Senator Dillon as anti-Nimba have heightened security concerns and revived divisive tribal and sectional debates across the country.
EFFL Responds, Calls for Restraint
Reacting to the situation, EFFL Commander-In-Chief Emmanuel Gonquoi, himself a native of Nimba County, cautioned his fellow citizens to refrain from such rhetoric and allow the Senator to perform his duties without intimidation.
“The issue with Senator Dillon and Minister Cooper Kruah—I just want to say this to fellow Nimbains, there is no reason why any Nimba citizen should personalize that fight, because there are visible challenges in the labor sector,” Gonquoi said.
He cited concerns in the labor sector, noting that qualified Liberians continue to lose job opportunities to foreigners.
“For example, here we are: a job a Liberian has been doing at CEMECO for many years was taken from an educated Liberian woman and given to a Sierra Leonean. That complaint went to the Ministry of Labor, and nothing was done about it,” he stated.
Speaking Tuesday on the OK Morning Rush, Gonquoi emphasized that Liberians are struggling to secure employment, and when lawmakers like Senator Dillon raise such issues for public discussion, it should not be misconstrued as a witch-hunt against any individual or county.
“When we start doing that, other counties will say their senators are also witch-hunting their people when they speak out. Then we have a serious problem. This will not be a win-win situation for Nimba County in future political engagements because it puts other counties against Nimba. You can’t do that,” Gonquoi warned.
According to him, advocacy for Liberians’ access to jobs should be national in scope, stressing that qualified Liberians deserve priority in employment opportunities. The controversy and anti-Nimba debate led to the postponement of Ms. Kruah’s confirmation.
Cornelia Kruah’s Confirmation Postponed
As the debate over what some have termed “Senator Dillon’s stance against Nimbains” continues, the group of Nimba University Students last week released another statement accusing the Montserrado lawmaker of lobbying to block the confirmation of Minister-Designate Cornelia Kruah.
In their statement, the group claimed Senator Dillon was “against the people of Nimba” and warned him to desist from such actions.
However, information obtained by Liberia Excellent News Network (LENN) from Senate sources indicates that several senators—including those representing Nimba County—recommended that Kruah’s confirmation be postponed.
Senator Dillon reportedly vowed to abstain from the process following repeated attacks from youths of Kruah’s country of origin.
Many senators have expressed concern over what they describe as sustained attacks on Senator Dillon for simply performing his constitutional duty of holding nominees accountable during confirmation hearings.
As of now, no date has been set for Cornelia Kruah’s confirmation, as political differences continue to fuel debate over whether Senator Dillon harbors personal grievances against people of Nimba County.
Liberty Party Rejects Tribal Allegations
Meanwhile, Senator Dillon’s political party, the Liberty Party, has firmly rejected claims that he opposed the confirmation of the Youth and Sports Minister-Designate on tribal grounds.
In a statement released Monday from its national headquarters in Congo Town, the party’s Deputy Secretary for Press, Dean Tuolee, described the allegations as false, inciteful, and politically motivated.
The party referenced an online report published on January 29 that quoted a group of Nimba County students accusing Senator Dillon of tribal bias.
According to the Liberty Party, the report represents a deliberate misinterpretation of constitutional processes and unverified reporting that undermines national unity and reconciliation.
The party emphasized that Senator Dillon’s public positions—including his advocacy on labor and work permit issues—are based on policy, nationalism, and the promotion of opportunities for qualified Liberians, not ethnicity.
