Former House of Representatives member, Dachung Bagos, has defended his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that the opposition party has collapsed and can no longer provide credible leadership.

Bagos made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, shortly after announcing his move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to him, the decision to leave the PDP was not driven by personal ambition but by the need to align with a political platform capable of addressing the concerns of the people.

“We are not defecting because of political ambition. We are leaving because we want a platform that gives our people a voice and leadership they can trust to address critical issues,” he said.

His comments come amid a growing wave of defections from the PDP to the APC and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Bagos, who represented Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency of Plateau State from 2019 until November 2023, officially joined the APC on January 4, 2026, alongside several political allies loyal to Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang.

The defection followed Governor Mutfwang’s own exit from the PDP, which he attributed to the party’s prolonged internal crises and lack of clear direction.

Dismissing claims that the move was driven by sycophancy, Bagos insisted that principle, not opportunism, informed their decision.

“We are not defecting out of sycophancy. We are leaving because the PDP has failed at this moment and has become irredeemable. The platform that aligns with our ideology is where we belong,” he said.

Bagos explained that his decision to join the APC was based on the party’s agenda, which he believes resonates with the aspirations of the people of Plateau State.

He stressed that governance transcends party affiliations, noting that effective leadership is about implementing policies that citizens can believe in.

“Governance goes beyond party lines. It is about presenting clear agendas that people can understand and trust as solutions to their problems,” he said.

He also praised President Bola Tinubu’s focus on critical governance reforms, including state police and local government autonomy.

“Our governance has now keyed into the issue of state police,” Bagos said, adding that the administration has re-emphasised local government autonomy and the conduct of local government elections across states.

Bagos further highlighted the need to expand political opportunities for ordinary citizens and restore young people’s confidence in governance.

“We want a system where the son of nobody can become a local government chairman, and where young people who never believed in politics can begin to believe again,” he added.