Vice President Jonathan would take over if the president resigns or becomes permanently incapable of discharging his functions, according to the constitution.

But there would then be fierce competition within the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) for the position of vice president to replace Jonathan as his deputy would be the de facto PDP presidential candidate in polls in 2011.

Jonathan, a southerner, is unlikely to stand in 2011 because of an unwritten agreement among the political elite that the presidency rotates between the north and south every two terms.

Following are some of names being mentioned within the PDP and in the Nigerian media as possible successors to Yar'Adua:
ALIYU GUSAU
A retired general and former National Security Adviser to Yar'Adua's direct predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, who remains a powerful kingmaker in the ruling party.

SULE LAMIDO
Populist governor of the backwater state of Jigawa, Lamido was foreign minister under Obasanjo. He is said to enjoy the support of the former president and of current Vice President Jonathan, whom he backed to power.

ABBA RUMA
Minister for Agriculture and a confidant of Yar'Adua since his days as governor of the remote northwestern state of Katsina, Ruma was a former education minister under Obasanjo.

BUKOLA SARAKI
Ambitious governor of the central state of Kwara, Saraki is another close confidant of Yar'Adua. He is a trained medical doctor and was director of Societe Generale Bank (Nigeria) for 10 years up to 2000, when he served as special assistant to the president on budgetary matters.

MAHMUD YAYALE AHMED
Yar'Adua appointed Yayale secretary to the federal government in September 2008, a powerful position which co-ordinates between ministries and the presidency. He had previously served as defence minister.

ISA YUGUDA
Governor of northeastern Bauchi state, Yuguda is Yar'Adua's son-in-law and a member of his kitchen cabinet. He spearheads the president's economic think-tank, an advisory committee set up to steer the country through the global economic downturn.

JIBRIL AMINU
A second term senator from northeast Adamawa state, Aminu narrowly missed being vice president in 1999 when Obasanjo preferred Atiku Abubakar over him.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE5BF1G320091224?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

Seriously, we deserve the leaders we continue to get!

Obasanto will continue to be a force to reckon with.All these guys are his loyalist

the north term end with yar adua. after 42 years in power the north should not be greed. If a northerner replace yar adua, the north would spend 12 years in power. There would be civil war

Becomrich will you ever grow up?

Kobojunkie:

Seriously, we deserve the leaders we continue to get!

But Obama is a good leader, no?