President Goodluck Jonathan will Tuesday next week name who becomes the nation's Vice President among the nine contenders jostling for the number two position.

To that effect, Nigerian groups of the northern extraction are lobbying for the post after Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in yesterday, May 6 as President, following the death of late President Umaru Yar'Adua, who died the previous day in his official quarters in Aso Rock, Abuja, the nation's capital city.

The contestants� are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed; the National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari; former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema; Minister of State (Defence) Murtala Yar�Adua; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State; and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State.

The press has been awash with the speculation of who becomes VP since yesterday Jonathan was sworn-in as the 13th Head of government of Nigeria, following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Wednesday night, May 5.

Whoever is named vice-president could be a strong contender for presidential elections due in 2011, The Channels Television can authoritatively report.

It remains unclear whether Mr Jonathan will seek to stand for the governing People's Democratic Party in the choice of the number two citizen. It reported that he will make known who among the contenders, fills the slot next Tuesday in Abuja.

The PDP has a tradition of alternating power between the mainly Muslim north and the largely Christian south.

Goodluck Jonathan is a southerner and Mr Yar'Adua died less than half-way through the north's "turn" of two presidential terms.� He has been acting president since February and will serve out the rest of the current presidential term.

To maintain regional balance, Mr Jonathan would be expected to name a northerner as his deputy, which could put that person in a strong position to contest the elections due early in 2011 on behalf of the PDP.