Mikel, who is just working his way back into the hearts of football fans in the country  following his superlative display in Super Eagles’ demolition of  Liberia in the last but crucial AFCON 2013 qualifier in Calabar last month, is the only Nigerian left in the race for the top prize.

He has however attained more success with Chelsea than the Eagles, winning European Champions League and an FA title.

Other players listed for the Award include; Alex Song (Barcelona/ Cameroun), Andre Ayew (Marseilles/Ghana), Christopher Katongo (Henan Construction/Zambia), Demba Ba (Newcastle/Senegal), Gervinho (Arsenal/Cote d’Ivoire), Didier Drogba (Shehua/Cote d’Ivoire), Pierre-E Aubanmeyan (St Etiene/Gabon), Yaya Toure (Man City/Cote d’Ivoire), Younes Belhanda (Montpelier/Morocco).

No Nigerian player was listed among the five players remaining in the run for Africa- based Player of the Year.

CAF’s Technical, Football and Media committees have decided on the current shortlists which will now be passed to head coaches and technical directors from CAF member associations whose votes will decide the eventual winners.

The top three nominees are to be announced in the last week of November. Ivorian Yaya Toure was voted 2011 African Player of the Year, while Tunisian Oussam Darragi was crowned last year’s African Player of the Year- Based in Africa. The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on 20 December in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

CAF said other categories for which winners will be announced at the Gala are as following: National Team of the Year, Women’s Footballer of the Year, Women’s National Team of the Year,  Club of the Year, Most Promising Talent of the Year,   Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year. Others include: Legend Award, Fair Play Award, Platinum Award and Africa Finest XI.