Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe

Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has appealed to Nigerians not to take politics as a do or die affair as the 2019 general elections approaches.

Abubakar, who is also the Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, made the appeal in his Wadata Palace in Bida, Niger State, during the Bariki Sallah celebration to mark the end of Eld-el-kabir on Saturday.

“God gives leadership to and takes it from whosoever He wishes at His appointed time; every Nigerian has equal right to aspire to any position.

”There should be a level playing ground for all to thrive; we should bear in mind that we can only have one chairman, governor or president at a time.

“As such, politicians should know that it is not a do or die affair but rather have faith in God.”

He urged Nigerians to strive to make democracy to work in the country by emulating the best global democratic practice, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

The monarch advised his subjects to be law-abiding and respect constituted authorities irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

Furthermore, Abubakar appealed to Nigerians to shun all acts capable of breaching peace and unity of the country.

“As patriotic citizens, we should continue to uphold the noble virtues of peace, unity and love for one another, irrespective of our religious beliefs, tribe or political background.”

He also warned the people of Bida Emirate and Nigerians in general to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water ways to guard against flooding.

The traditional ruler said it was unpatriotic for citizens to continually clog waterways, saying that the act was responsible for environmental degradation in many parts of the country.

“Human activities which included felling of trees, dumping of refuse in water channels contributed to the present ecological problems in many parts of the country” he said