Puteri Umno members at the division level are free to nominate any candidate to contest for the wing's top post at its inaugural election on Nov 1, said Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

He assured that there is no "directive" from any top Umno leader, as alleged, that all 165 divisions must nominate the wing's pro-tem chief Azalina Othman Said for the top post.

"It is up to the division to nominate any candidate they like. There is no order (from the top leadership) to the divisions to nominate a particular candidate," the Umno deputy president clarified at a press conference after chairing the National Forestry Council conference in Putrajaya.

He was commenting on allegations made by certain quarters in Puteri Umno that those who offered themselves for the number one post were unable to secure any nomination from the divisions despite their wide grassroots appeal because of the 'directive'.

To date, Azalina has swept all the nominations after 52 divisions concluded their meeting, thus leaving the future of the five other contenders "very slim".