I usually use stories and satire but today, I’m giving it straight. It’s a very LONG read, so take your time. Here we go:

When you employ someone for a definite or indefinite period, you can still dismiss them for cause under our Labour laws. Non-performance, neglect of duty are examples of cause for which employees are dismissed. As citizens, we are the EMPLOYERS of every elected public official and as employers we have the right to dismiss or remove them BEFORE their term ends, if we have “cause” to do so.

When you enter a contract with someone, you can terminate the contract if the person breaches the terms and conditions of the contract. As citizens, when we elect our leaders based on the promises they make to us, we have entered into a social contract with them. When they break their promises to us, they have breached that contract and we can therefore terminate the contract.

There is NO law that prevents us as citizens from  legally removing an elected official from office before their 6year or 9year term ends. The perception that we have to WAIT until the next election is wrong and intended to mislead the people while our elected officials remain complacent, non-chalant, disrespectful and dismissive of our concerns.

Case in point is Montserrado Senator Abe Darius Dillon.  It is common knowledge and the general perception that Dillon deceived us, has broken his promises to us and has failed us, his constituents. There is a laundry list of Dillon’s broken promises and breach of his social contract with us but for the purposes of this post, I’ll list a few:

1. Dillon promised to be the LIGHT in the Senate-  When we elected Dillon, it was based on his promise to be the light in a dark Senate. The only thing Dillon shone his dull light on was to confirm (because we already suspected) that Senators were making US $15,000 per month. Dillon as a Senator continued the business as usual by taking every penny apportioned to themselves, monies he condemned before.

2. Dillon promised to only take $5,000 out of the $15,000 and give the $10,000 to be used by the Montserrado County Council for development purposes- He has broken that promise and instead claims that he rerouted that money to a shelter for drug-affected youth, usurping the functions of the executive in holistically dealing with the grim issue of drug addiction nationally. There is no published financial record to prove that the $10,000 is actually spent on the center monthly, neither was that the promise he made.

3. Dillon promised to not accept or ride the $45,000 cars and condemned the purchase of said vehicles for lawmakers every 3years. Since 2019, he is yet to refuse the cars or the amount spent on the cars. Infact in 2019, he refused to return the car inspite of public backlash and calls to do so.

4. Dillon promised to not take any money outside of his salary, because said money should go to Ministries and Agencies budget. Dillon has received every money outside of the salary allotted to lawmakers including the infamous 15k, etc and watched budgets of key service providers Ministries and Agencies get reduced while the Legislature budget increases.

5. Dillon promised not to fence his house when elected, and that he will continue to live with his neighbors openly, unlike others who become big shots- Dillon has not only fenced his house but it is heavily guarded by security. This is not about his security, it is about intentionally lying to the people when he had no intentions of keeping said promise.

6. Dillon promised to carry out the responsibilities and functions of a lawmaker (oversight, representation and lawmaking) and hold the Executive accountable. – Sadly, Dillon could only hold CDC accountable and has failed to hold this UP govt accountable. Infact, he has become the de facto Information Minister of the Rescue govt and JNB’s handbag. He now defends the govt, carries out functions of the executive (which is against our laws) and has forgotten his legislative oversight and accountability functions. Dillon cannot tell you the last time he visited a rural township in Montserrado to hear the concerns of his constituents, outside of 2023 campaign for Rescue.

7. Most symbolically, Dillon promised not to ride first class as an elected official- Yet he has continuously ridden first class and lied about it which led to the infamous “ I Shame My Mother” saga and the recent jeering of him by passengers who saw him riding first class on AKSY flight and called him “fake light”, former light”; an incident confirmed by many which he is again lying about, instead of admitting it happened, acknowledging the frustration of the people and promising to get back on track.

These are just few of the broken promises and what it shows ultimately is that Dillon did not just lie to us to get elected, he has no remorse, is deceptive, dismissive and unapologetic. As far as Dillon and many of our lawmakers are concerned, they can dupe the citizens to get elected and we will have to wait for 6/9years to vote against them.

That is a LIE manufactured by them to protect themselves. The Constitution gives the people the power to remove elected officials. Even the President and Vice President can be removed from office under the constitution before their term ends. For lawmakers, the constitution provides for removal of lawmakers by RESIGNATION or EXPULSION.

Article 1 provides that: All power is inherent in the people. All free governments are instituted by their authority and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform the same when their safety and happiness so require. In order to ensure democratic government which responds to the wishes of the governed, *the people shall have the right at such period, and in such manner as provided for under this Constitution, to cause their public servants to leave office* and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.

The key point is: THE PEOPLE SHALL CAUSE THEIR PUBLIC SERVANTS TO LEAVE OFFICE, at any such time when their safety and happiness so require.

The Constitution also provides that: Article 38 – Each House shall adopt its own rules of procedure, enforce order, and with the concurrence of two thirds of the entire membership, may EXPEL a member for cause. . .

And when a lawmaker is expelled, the constitution provides that the presiding officer shall inform the NEC within 30 days and elections shall be held no later than 90 days to replace that lawmaker (Article 37).

Key point is: We the People can PETITION the Legislature to remove/EXPEL a lawmaker, we no longer have trust and confidence in.

Our lawmakers work for us; they are our employees, yet we continue to complain about them being the problem and feeling helpless when we can make them leave office.

How do we do that? The power of the people to do anything (alter our government, change the constitution or remove public servants, etc ) requires a petition of 10,000 signatures submitted to the Legislature for concurrence.  In the case of removing a lawmaker, we only need 10,000 constituents to sign a petition to remove the lawmaker and take it to the Legislature. The Senate will have to put that petition before plenary and vote on it. While it is possible they may not get the 2/3rd, they cannot refuse to hear the petition. It is also possible that they could get 2/3rd. Regardless, such powerful action of 10,000 constituents signing that they no longer have confidence in their lawmaker and want him removed, will force all our lawmakers to shape up.

The question is, WHY DO WE NOT DO THIS? Why do we surrender our power as the PEOPLE and continue to cry about our lawmakers and specifically Sen. Dillon of Montserrado!? Why do we keep saying “we are waiting for 2029?” What is stopping us from getting 10,000 signatures of Montserrado Constituents on a petition to take to the Senate.

It is clear Dillon is more interested in the Executive than his mandate as Senator of the most populated county. Maybe it is time we ask him to leave and go work in the Executive since he has abandoned his work as Senator, flying around the globe with the President, defending the excesses of this government, continuously broken his promises to us and kept SILENT on the corruption and bad governance in almost a year. He’s silent on issues affecting Montserrado, from the frequent fires burning businesses and homes, to floods affecting communities, to budget allotments for schools and hospitals in the county, etc.

We should stop crying and show our EMPLOYEE that as his EMPLOYER, we can terminate his contract with us and fire him for these reasons and more. Are you fed up enough, to sign a petition to have him removed? Instead of calling him names, complaining about him, jeering at him publicly, TAKE ACTION. Anything short of gathering 10,000 signatures, is admiring the problem. Until then, Dillon will remain complacent, non-chalant, non-performing, disrespectful and dismissive of you, his employer. Until then, the light will remain off and you will keep living in darkness.  So before you complain again about the light going off, ask yourself, am I ready to sign the petition to change the bulb?