Mr Seamus Mallon will announce within days whether he will contest the SDLP leadership following yesterday's announcement by Mr John Hume that he is resigning for health reasons after 22 years in the post.
With the North's Minister for Finance, Mr Mark Durkan, believed to be certain to run, Mr Mallon would not be drawn yesterday on his intentions.
Mr Hume appealed to Sinn FΘin to do all it could to ensure decommissioning took place.
He called on the party to take "the necessary action to ensure that all weapons are put completely beyond use, and do so to the satisfaction of the international commission [on decommissioning]".
Mr Hume's resignation takes effect at the SDLP's annual conference on November 8th.
The conference will elect a new leader. While Mr Mallon has not yet declared his intentions, Mr Durkan is understood to be determined to run, whatever Mr Mallon decides.