Indications have emerged that four contenders for the post of vice-president are undergoing security screening at the Department of Security Services.

This comes as the National Assembly Northern senators under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum (NSF) endorsed former Kaduna State Governor and Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance Ahmed Makarfi for the post yesterday.
Besides, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to send the name of his nominee to the National Assembly for approval latest tomorrow.

Sources told THISDAY that Makarfi and Deputy Governor of Sokoto State Muktar Shagari were among those being screened.
It was gathered that one of the contenders who is from the North-west zone and who enjoys support from the National Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors did not pass through security screening on account of his health condition.
THISDAY was told that following the circumstances of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua's passing away, the screening placed emphasis on the health of the candidates that appeared before it.

According to sources, the Governor of Bauchi State Isa Yuguda who was a likely choice of the PDP governors but was a hard sale among the members of the National Assembly was dropped.
It was not certain at press time whether Shagari scaled through the process. But his name came up during the on-going PDP meeting with President Jonathan.
 

Besides, it may not be a smooth ride for the National Assembly members to get their wish of having Makarfi as veepee given that they have been locked in a battle of wits with state governors, who are also working under the platform of Northern Governors Forum to push their own candidate.
 

The Governors Forum is  reported to be considering the candidatures of Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema who are from the North-west and Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje from North-east.
However, it was learnt that the Presidency and the PDP leadership are being cautious not to disrupt the existing power sharing arrangement.
 

There is therefore a proclivity to look towards the North-west for the veepee.  The North-west caucus in the House of Representatives had also made a strong case for the emergence of a nominee from the zone.
Chair of the NSF Senator Umaru Dahiru confirmed at a press briefing after the group's meeting in Senate Hearing Room One, which lasted for about four hours that Makarfi was overwhelmingly endorsed.
 

THISDAY gathered that Makarfi defeated his only opponent, the Chief Whip of the Senate Mahmud Kanti Bello (from Katsna State), hands down.  Both of them are from the North-west zone.
Two other senators from the North-west zone who were also tipped for the position, namely Senators Ibrahim Idah (Katsina) and Umaru Argungu (Kebbi State), reportedly withdrew their candidatures.But Kanti, in a swift riposte, described the resolution of the NSF as “silly.”
 

According to him, “Though I was at the meeting and we agreed that it is the North-west that would produce the VP and it is natural to allow the President to make the nomination; it is not Governors’ Forum or NSF that would do so.

THISDAY also gathered that the leadership of the NSF would brief the entire Senate in a closed door session this morning.  The Senate leadership, according to feelers yesterday, might have already communicated the endorsement to President Jonathan.
Jonathan may forward the name of whoever he chooses to the National Assembly between today and tomorrow morning, before he proceeds on his official visit to Rivers State.