Vice-President Atiku Abubakar wept and used handkerchief to wipe tears as he collected the forms from a member of the Atiku Support Groups (ASG).
Supporters of former vice president led by Adekemi Adesanya had purchased expression of interest and nomination forms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for him in Abuja on Friday.
Abubakar said the act was significant because young people pooled resources to purchase the forms for him.
“The event today is significant and historic because this is the only time in my political career that young men and women in this country have come together without my knowledge or even consent to contribute their own hard-earned money to buy me an expression of interest and nomination forms,” he said.
“You could have seen that one of the ladies who spoke virtually succeeded in getting me to weep. This is because she aptly described the challenges every Nigerian is facing in this country today and she believed honestly and sincerely from the bottom of her heart that I could be an instrument of addressing those challenges.
“So, for such a woman to believe that I have got those leadership qualities and including those of you who have brought out your monies to by this form, is one of the most serious challenges I have ever faced in my political career.
“And believe me, addressing those challenges is possible because we have brought young men and women, Nigerians who have got the talents, who have got the education, who have got the experience, who have got all what it take to honestly turn this country around.
“Putting together such talented young Nigerians requires leadership and it is that leadership we have not been fortunate enough to have on a consistent basis that this country has not been able to take her rightful rightful position in Africa and indeed, the world.
“The man who actually brought me into politics, the late Shehu Yar’dua, when he invited me as a young man told us to break the regional siege that every parts of this country had been subjected to.”
While thanking his supporters, Abubakar said if elected, he would work to provide jobs for the youth.
