One day after former cricketer Mervyn Dillon was selected as the People's National Movement candidate for the Toco/Sangre Grande constituency, the party has put his candidacy under review.
Confirmation came from the party's public relations officer Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing on Saturday.
"I can confirm it (candidacy) is under review," Lee Sing told Guardian Media in a telephone interview.
Asked when a final decision would be announced, she said "by Monday or Tuesday, we will be able to make a clearer statement."
Asked what would have prompted the review, Lee Sing did not say much.
"We will talk about that at a later time," was her response.
At yesterday's press conference held by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, Guardian Media asked the PM to respond to reports that Dillon's candidacy was under review by the party.
Rowley sidestepped the issue.
"I am not discussing PNM screening here today. This is not the place and time for that. That process is still underway. I say no more at this time."
The review came hours after the constituency's executives and party groups raised an uproar over Dillon's selection.
Election officer of the constituency John Mason in a T&T Guardian article on Saturday raised concerns about Dillon being selected, stating that he was a "Johnny-Come-Lately" to the party while people who worked the ground for the party and had submitted nominations were bypassed and overlooked by the screening committee.
Disturbed by the turn of events, John also threatened to walk from the PNM after giving 18 years of service, while PNM activist Darrel Dookoo took the party to task for making bad decisions in the selections of candidates and warned that the Toco/Sangre Grande seat would go into the hands of the UNC if Dillon stays.
Dookoo called on Rowley "to go" and urged PNM supporters to vote for the UNC at the upcoming polls.
Dillon's selection had also caused a tsunami of objections from die-hard supporters who were rallying behind nominee Lorraine Heath, who works at the Lands Settlement Agency as a corporate secretary.
One of seven nominees screened last Thursday, Dillon got the nod over Heath and incumbent MP Glenda Jennings-Smith who also took to her Facebook page on Friday after being rejected to tell those who supported her that one man had planned a conspiracy to have her remove as MP and her story will be told.
On Saturday, news of Dillon's selection being under review was met with smiling faces.
Mason said while he was happy that the party was reviewing his selection, he felt the PNM should stop wasting time and remove Dillon.
"We are pleased they heard our cries. But Dillon's candidacy should not be under review, it should be rescinded. I am appealing to the party to let good sense prevail. I don't want them to repeat the errors they made in last December's local government elections by putting up candidates supporters did not want."
Mason said because of bad judgment calls the PNM lost control of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation to the UNC by sending up candidates that the majority of people did not want.
Mason said he had no problem if the executive was instructed by the party to hunt for new nominees.
"It's okay if we are told to look for more nominees. It's just we want a change. Give us a fighting chance," Mason said.