South-west leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will meet on Sunday night to take a final decision on their nominee for the party’s vice-presidential slot, TheCable understands.

The name of the nominee will then be presented to Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate, and the national executive of the party on Monday.

Those who will be at the meeting, which will hold in Ikoyi, Lagos, include four south-west governors: Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

Former APC interim national chairman, Bisi Akande, is also expected to be at the meeting, which will be presided over by Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party.

As previously reported by TheCable, Buhari has conceded the choice of his running mate to Tinubu, reportedly in recognition of his contribution to Buhari’s victory in the presidential primary and also because of the voting figures in the south-west.

Following the latest calculations in the party, TheCable has installed Yemi Osibajo, a professor of law, as the favourite for the VP slot.

In August, TheCable had reported that Osibajo, who was attorney general and commissioner for justice when Tinubu was governor of Lagos from 1999-2007, was being strongly considered for the running mate position.

TheCable, on August 21, reported Osibajo’s likely nomination as VP

Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers state, had been eyeing the position, but his chances are diminishing by the day.

Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an associate of Amaechi, issued a statement on Sunday canvassing the choice of Amaechi.

“With the myth surrounding Buhari combined with the bravery and sagacity of Gov. Amaechi, PDP’s days in the Aso Presidential Villa will surely become history by 2015. It is left to the APC power brokers to give a chance to this union if they are serious about ending the embarrassment that PDP has become in the politics of our nation,” he said.

But an APC insider told TheCable that Buhari “does not want to repeat the mistakes of the past in his choice of running mate”.

“It is very clear to Buhari now that he has to take informed political decisions if he wants to win this time around. In the past, he took the decision all by himself and the outcome was very disappointing for him. He has made the right decision by giving the slot to the second largest voting bloc in Nigeria ─ the south-west,” he said.

The source dismissed the notion that Amaechi was being considered, citing “simple political arithmetic”.

“The south-west has 15 million votes. Rivers has 2.4 million, and you cannot sustain the argument that the south-south would rather occupy the No. 2 position when Jonathan is currently No. 1 and wants to return,” he said.

Although he did not completely rule out the south-south producing the running mate, the highly placed official told TheCable that Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state, “has a far better chance of being picked than Amaechi”.

The Rivers governor has been accused of embarking on a media campaign to clinch the VP slot.

Here is a line-up of the TOP contenders

YEMI OSIBAJO

Age: 55

State: Lagos

Education: Bachelor of law (University of Lagos); master’s in law (London School of Economics)

Political experience: Lagos attorney-general and commissioner for justice (1999-2007)

For: Intellectual, professor of law and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN); highly respected as man of integrity; pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and could assuage “fundamentalist” suspicion of Buhari; a legal brain behind the Tinubu government in 1999-2007.

Against: Lack of electoral experience; name recognition highly constrained; naming a pastor not an automatic guarantee of Christian votes.

TheCable odds: 8/10 to be picked as running mate

ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE

Age: 62

State: Edo

Education:  Economics and industrial relations (Ruskin College, Oxford)

Political experience: Governor, Edo (2008 till date)

The case for: Popular former labour leader seen as a champion of the masses under President Olusegun Obasanjo; Nationwide name recognition; Articulate and cerebral; Considered to be a performing governor; south-south minority who has cross-zonal appeal; Could be compromise candidate between Tinubu and Amaechi camps.

The case against: Not strong enough to garner south-south majority votes; and will the south-south voters prefer No. 2 than the current No. 1?

TheCable odds: 7/10 to be picked as running mate

CHIBUIKE AMAECHI

Age: 49

State: Rivers

Education: BA English studies and literature (University of Port Harcourt)

Political experience: Speaker, Rivers house of assembly (1999-2007); governor, Rivers (2007 till date)

The case for: Could be spoiler to Jonathan in Rivers, which has 2.4 million votes and has traditionally been an electoral pot of gold for PDP; Has invested heavily in Buhari’s campaign and is on good terms with the APC presidential candidate; Loved in many parts of the north for his open opposition to Jonathan; Has a good record of achievements in Rivers.

The case against: Not likely to woo south-south and south-east where Jonathan is expected to hold sway as “home favourite”; South-west voters may not be too enthusiastic at the polls with no Yoruba on the ticket; Considered to be too combustible to be a loyal and calm deputy to a strong-willed person like Buhari.

TheCable odds: 6/10 to be picked as running mate

KAYODE FAYEMI

Age: 49

State: Ekiti

Education: Degrees in history, politics and international relations from the Universities of Lagos and Ife in Nigeria; PhD in war studies (King’s College, University of London).

Political experience: Ekiti governor (2010-2014)

For: Former governor who has national name-recognition; a Christian from the south-west to counter fundamentalism feelings about Buhari; good performer as governor; intellectual; calm and mature politician.

Against: Having lost Ekiti election, electoral value in question; not in the good books of Tinubu, who calls the shots in the south-west.

TheCable odds: 5/10 to be picked as running mate

Honourable mention

Olawale Edun, 49, former Lagos commissioner for finance (1999-2004), B.Sc (Economics), University of London; M.Sc (Economics), University of Sussex. TheCable odds: 1/250