At least one Nationalist Party MP voiced his dissent and many of the old-time party backbenchers were surprised by George Abela's nomination for President of the Republic.
No vote was taken on Dr Abela's nomination when the PN Parliamentary Group met on Monday, contrary to what took place in the Labour Party's.
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando confirmed that he disagreed with Dr Abela's nomination but would not publicly state the reasons why.
"I gave my reasons in the parliamentary group and don't wish to comment further about what was discussed," he said when contacted yesterday.
When asked whether the reasons raised during the meeting would have any bearing on the way he will vote when Parliament is asked to choose the next President, Dr Pullicino Orlando said: "When the moment comes, I will do my duty as I deem fit".
A number of backbenchers were expecting the Prime Minister to follow the decades-old tradition that has accompanied every Presidential nomination after Sir Anthony Mamo and nominate one of their own. Many old-timers expected Dr Gonzi to put forward Louis Galea's name for President, sources said.
Dr Abela's name came as a surprise to many, even if the nomination found widespread consensus.
Many in the PN parliamentary group were irked by the fact that Dr Abela's name had first been leaked to the media before being discussed in the group.
Former minister Francis Zammit Dimech was one of the vocal objectors to the way things developed.
"I argued in favour of George Abela's nomination but I felt the parliamentary group should have been told before the news was leaked to the media a day before. I argued that the group did not meet to analyse the newspapers," Dr Zammit Dimech said when contacted.
He argued that the group should have been involved in the decision "as a matter of courtesy" before Sunday.
"Having said that, it does not diminish anything from the Prime Minister's right to make decisions as he deems fit," Dr Zammit Dimech insisted.
Parliamentary group Whip David Agius confirmed that Monday's meeting had been scheduled for two weeks with the express agenda of discussing the Presidential nomination.
"The group's feeling was 100 per cent in favour of discussing the nomination with the parliamentary group first," Mr Agius said.
The parliamentary group, he added, should have convened earlier if it were known that the name could have been leaked to the media.
When the Office of the Prime Minister was asked to comment, it repeated the statement made by Dr Gonzi during the press briefing announcing Dr Abela's nomination. Dr Gonzi said on Monday he was "authorised by everybody" to send for Dr Abela and inform him of the nomination.
"There was no one who told me not to speak to him," Dr Gonzi said.
Five backbenchers did not attend the meeting on Monday.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com