By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popool
A former member of the House of Representatives, Dachung Bagos, has attributed the growing wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to what he described as the party’s failure and deepening internal crises.
Bagos made the remarks on Tuesday, 6 January, 2026, during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after announcing his defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Explaining reason he left the opposition party, the ex-lawmaker said the decision was not driven by personal ambition but by the search for a credible political platform capable of addressing the needs of the people.
“We are not jumping parties for political ambition. We are jumping parties because of the platform that wants to give our people a voice, and leadership that says, ‘You can trust us to be able to address this very issue,’” Bagos said.
His defection comes amid a broader realignment in Nigeria’s political landscape, with several PDP members moving to the APC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Bagos, who represented the Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State from 2019 until November 2023, formally joined the APC on January 4, 2026, alongside other political stakeholders loyal to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
Notably, the defection followed Governor Mutfwang’s own resignation from the PDP weeks earlier. The governor had cited the need for clearer direction and cohesion in the face of the opposition party’s prolonged internal disputes.
Addressing accusations of political opportunism, Bagos dismissed claims that the defections were acts of sycophancy. Instead, he insisted they were based on principle.
“We are not jumping parties because of sycophancy. We are jumping party because the PDP has failed at this particular moment, and it is irredeemable at this particular moment,” he said.
Bagos further explained how the APC’s policy direction influenced his decision, arguing that governance should transcend party loyalty. According to him, the ruling party’s agenda aligns more closely with the aspirations of Plateau State residents.
“Governance is beyond party lines. It is about the agendas on the table that can make your people believe that this is the solution,” he said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has renewed focus on critical governance reforms, including state policing and local government autonomy.
“Our governance has now keyed into the issue of state police,” Bagos said, adding that the emphasis on local government autonomy would ensure regular and credible local council elections nationwide.
Bagos said the defections are aimed at expanding opportunities for ordinary citizens and re-engaging young people in the political process.
“We want the son of nobody to be a local government chairman, and we want youths who never believed in politics to begin to believe in politics,” he said.
