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Wickremesinghe, who says his shock dismissal on Friday was illegal, ignored a deadline to vacate the colonial-era residence, even as his controversial successor sought blessings at a prominent temple ahead of naming a new cabinet.
Wickremesinghe, 69, threatening to escalate the standoff as neighbors and Western nations to restraint and respect the constitution.
About 1,000 of his supporters gathered outside the Temple Trees residence, with troops seen nearby, but there was no sign of an intervention into the dispute.
Wickremesinghe's security and official cars were withdrawn by President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday, as the prime minister asked for an emergency session.
Instead, Sirisena shut down for president Mahinda Rajapakse as the new prime minister.
Loyalists to Rajapakse, whose decade-long rule was marked by grave allegations of rights abuses and growing authoritarianism, still controlling the headquarters of two state-run television channels.
All police leave was canceled as heightened tensions in Colombo, with soldiers seen at the prime minister's residence and the president's office.
Meanwhile, Rajapakse traveled to a highly venerated Buddhist temple in the central district of Kandy to seek blessings from monks before naming a cabinet.
Rajapakse's aides said he was likely to name a few ministers late Sunday and begin work on Monday.
He is yet to make a formal statement or address the nation since being raised to the new post.
The strongman is a controversial figure at home and abroad in the crushing of a decades long Tamil Tiger uprising.
He is seen to be closer to China than Wickremesinghe, who has sought to re-establish stronger ties with traditional ally and regional power India.
The crisis has gone back to the Indian Ocean in the international spotlight following the winding down of the Maldives over its presidential election.
India said it was "closely following" events in Colombo.
"As a democracy and a close friendly neighbor, we hope that democratic values will be respected," India's foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Sunday.
The United States and European Union ambassadors in Colombo have called on the Sri Lankan rivals to follow the constitution and avoid violence.
China 's ambassador to Colombo puts Rajapakse and Wickremesinghe on Saturday, officials said.
Colombo-based Western Diplomats puts Wickremesinghe for a briefing on the sacking.
Karu Jayasuriya, who comes from Wickremesinghe's party, to announce which of the two rivals he recognises.
Many observers now expect the crisis to turn into a series of short battles.
Privately-run newspapers on Sunday described Sirisena's move as a "constitutional coup".
Political Commentator Victor Ivan said Sirisena's action was a blatant violation of the constitution and "a capture of power through a conspiracy".
However, Rajapakse loyalist and former minister G. L. Peiris said there was nothing illegal about sacking Wickremesinghe and challenged him to prove his majority when parliament returns on November 16.
The falling out between Wickremesinghe and Sirisena has come to a head to the president of this year back to a no-confidence motion against the man he had handpicked to lead the government.
The two allied against Rajapakse in the 2015 election, but their relationship steadily soured.
Sirisena initially said it would be a one-term president but it would have indicated he would seek re-election next year, pitting himself against Wickremesinghe who also has presidential ambitions.
Wickremesinghe's party has the largest number of parliamentary seats, but the president's United People's Freedom Alliance has gone out of the coalition shortly before Wickremesinghe was sacked.
This is the second time that a president has ousted Wickremesinghe from office. In 2004, the president sacked him and called snap elections.
After winning the firsthip in a third time in August 2015, Wickremesinghe amended the constitution to remove the head of state of power to sack prime ministers to prevent a repeat of his ouster.
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