Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has said that the majority of people who participated at the presidential rally of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party held in Sokoto on Monday were imported from  neighbouring Niger Republic.

The governor, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress  stated this on Tuesday while speaking during the inauguration of his campaign committee in Kaduna.

El-Rufai said many of those  who attended the rally were imported by the PDP to show that they had supporters since according to him, a large majority of Sokoto indigenes refused to attend the rally.

He stressed that the ruling party would do everything within its powers to ensure that people he described as looters and criminals do not return to power in 2019, vowing to ensure that Kaduna State delivers President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

He explained that the ideology of the President Buhari-led administration was not to share public funds to few individuals ‘but to work and improve the lives of the ordinary Nigerians’.

His words: “Thieves have ganged up against President Muhammadu Buhari. Yesterday (Monday) they went to Sokoto for a rally and brought in people from Niger Republic. This was to show that they have crowd because Sokoto people refused to attend.”

“Our people should be assured that the very day Buhari will come to Kaduna, all our people that will receive him will be Kaduna indigenes and not people from Niger. We will fight for every vote and persuade our people that you will only secure victory for the party you support when you vote on the election day.

 El-Rufai  charged his campaign team members to go down to the grassroots to mobilize people to come out and vote during the general elections.

“We must run a grassroots campaign to mobilize our supporters on election day. We will not vote for hypocrites, we will not vote for criminals and we will not vote for those who cannot afford to barb their hair,” he added.

The PDP launched its zonal presidential rally in Sokoto on Monday for the North-West Zone which was attended by a mammoth crowd.

Present at the rally were the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar,  Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Senate President Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, former President Goodluck Jonathan and his then vice, Namadi Sambo among others.