In this exclusive interview with LUCY CHINDABA & CHRISTY ZI, Hon. Dachung Musa Bagos, former member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, shares his views on Nigeria’s 26 years of democracy, national insecurity, the economy and the performance of the ruling APC. He also speaks on the internal challenges of the PDP and why he believes Governor Mutfwang deserves a second term, among other issues of national importance. Excerpts:
Please, can you introduce yourself, sir?
By the grace of God, I’m Dachung Musa Bagos. I represented the people of Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. I was re-elected, but the Court of Appeal set my victory aside.
What is your view on 26 years of democracy in Nigeria? What have we achieved?
Well, 26 years of democracy… the truth is, even the worst form of democracy is better than the best of military rule. That’s a fact we all acknowledge as politicians. Yes, democracy has its ups and downs because of the diversity of interests, political parties, opposition, ideology and personal ambition, but at least it allows people to speak freely and participate in governance.
If I were to describe Nigeria’s 26 years of democracy, I’d call it a cake – sweet and sour. At the beginning, things seemed to be going well. But along the line, we started seeing insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes, religious tensions and now even genocide. All these have happened within our democratic journey. That’s why I say it’s sweet and at the same time sour.
You can look at it like a child that’s 26 years old—a grown adult. At 26, some people are already married and running households, while others are still living on their parents’ goodwill. So it depends on how the child was raised. For me, I’d say we are still below average nationally.
So no, the ruling party is not living up to expectations. Economically, things are worse than ever. Insecurity is high. Banditry is high. Kidnapping is high. The naira is weak—when APC came in 2015, the dollar was far below ₦500. Now it’s over ₦1,000. What does that say about performance? The economy is in crisis. Inflation is biting hard. And ordinary Nigerians are suffering.
We can’t pretend. The truth is, the previous administration, even with its faults, was better than what we have now. If we say things are okay today, then we’re lying to ourselves. What used to be considered food for the common man, like garri, is now food for the rich. Rice is no longer affordable. Nigerians are dying of hunger, stress, and untreated illnesses. Even the last World Hypertension Day revealed shocking statistics—Nigerians topped the chart globally!
Unemployment and underemployment are at alarming levels. Access to finance for small businesses is almost impossible. These are the real issues. We cannot keep being cosmetic about our national challenges.
Plateau State is lucky to have a Governor like His Excellency Caleb Mutfwang, who is building on the legacy of those before him. But nationally, our performance is disappointing.
Just look at our GDP. Nigeria is still an importing nation—we consume what others produce instead of producing what we consume. Our inflation rate is in double digits, and has been that way since the APC came into power. While other countries facing economic challenges are adjusting with single-digit inflation, ours keeps rising. So, economically, we’re not doing well at all.
But despite that, democracy is still good. Why? Because people still have the right to speak up and the power to vote. Every four years, citizens go to the polls to choose leaders—just like we’re seeing here on the Plateau recently, where the people have started changing the narrative by electing credible leaders.
What are your plans for 2027? Are you going to contest?
For me, it’s about understanding the voice of the people. As a Christian, I believe the voice of the people is the voice of God. If I don’t listen to that voice and I allow myself to be driven by personal ambition, then I’ll be lost. I’m not motivated by self-interest—I’m motivated by the progress of my people. If they say, “Go ahead,” I will. If not, I’ll step aside. You don’t force your way into leadership. If you do, you’ll end up drowning because it becomes all about you, not the people.
Given the situation that cut short your tenure in the House of Representatives, would you say the PDP has put its house in order?
If you’ve been following the trends, the PDP recently held its North Central Zonal Congress, followed by ward and local government congresses. We’re now awaiting the state congresses. Yes, there are still a few issues in some places, but under the leadership of His Excellency Governor Mutfwang, the PDP in Plateau State has shown capacity and credibility. We are building a strong structure ahead of the next general elections.
His Excellency, Governor Mutfwang hosted the zonal congress successfully, and our aim is to make sure we don’t give room for the kind of lapses that occurred during the 2023 elections—from the tribunals all the way to the Supreme Court. The PDP is getting it right. We are up and doing, and by God’s grace, we will succeed. The Governor is also working hard to carry everyone along, making sure all party executives at every level reflect the will of the people. That’s our focus.
Because what happened to us before was due to internal rancour, which weakened our house. But now, we’re determined to unite and face 2027 as a solid force.
The PDP is the ruling party in Plateau State, but it’s the opposition at the national level. Would you say the opposition parties have lived up to expectations in keeping the ruling party on its toes?
Absolutely not. What we’re seeing is that the ruling party is trying to pull everyone into its net and create a one-party state. That’s not how democracy works. Democracy thrives on robust opposition. The ruling party should actually encourage criticism. If I’m a leader and I hear the voice of the opposition, I should reflect on it and fix where I’ve done wrong.
Unfortunately, that’s not what’s happening. Instead, we are seeing attempts to silence everybody. And if you’re forcing people to be silent, it means you have something to hide. Why should you be afraid of people speaking up if you’re doing the right thing?
So how do we move forward?
We need leadership that tells the truth and fixes what’s broken. First, we need to have a credible electoral process and a strengthened judiciary. If we don’t fix these two arms, then the next 20 years will be just like the last 26, full of promises, little progress.
Also, I want to see fresh faces. Most of our leaders today came into office in 1999 when they were in their 40s. Now they’re in their 70s and 80s. Where are the people they mentored? It’s time for the new generation to take the front seat.
Leadership must be deliberate. Mentorship must be intentional. If not, anyone with money or influence will grab power just to recover their investments. That’s how you end up with accidental leaders.
We need to decentralise power. We need state police. The insecurity in Borno is not the same as what we face in Plateau or Delta. Every state should be allowed to design its own security strategy.
And finally, we must trust in the capacity of our people. Nigerians are brilliant. Nigerians are resourceful. All they need is the enabling environment. Let the government provide infrastructure, policy stability and security, and Nigerians will build the country themselves.