Lagos — In line with the directives of President Umaru Yar'Adua for a full scale investigation into the N250 million bribery scandal rocking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the Ekiti State gubernatorial election re-run, State Security Services (SSS) officials yesterday in Abuja interrogated the Resident Electoral Commission from the state, Mrs Ayoka Adebayo along with seven other electoral commissioners.

This is just as THISDAY learnt yesterday that the election petition tribunal that would hear all grievances arising from the outcome of the re-run governorship election may soon begin sitting in the state.

Mrs Adebayo and the electoral commissioners arrived at the SSS headquarters in Abuja around 12 noon and were quizzed for several hours in the office of the SSS's director general.

An INEC administrative staff was also said to have been quizzed along with them.

At press time the Ekiti REC, three national commissioners (Victor Chukwuani, Philip Umeadi and Solomon Adedeji Soyebi) and the administrative secretary were still at the SSS headquarters.

Also interrogated by the SSS were four other resident electoral commissioners from other states that helped in the conduct of the Ekiti State election.

"After their interrogation, other categories of staff would be invited for a similar exercise to unravel the truth behind the N250 million bribe scandal," a source said yesterday night.

However, uncertainties arose as to whether INEC's chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu may have also been interrogated by the SSS along with his commissioners.

When contacted on the development, INEC's spokesman, Andy Ezeani sent a text message denying that his boss was interrogated by the SSS.

He wrote: "I understand that some idle minds have been going round with rumours that INEC's chairman was at the SSS office today to answer questions.

"Incidentally, Professor Iwu travelled out of Abuja to the East this morning. He was not invited by anybody for any questioning or any such thing, and so there was no basis for his being at SSS office, though there's nothing wrong with going to SSS if need be."

Commenting on the allegations of bribe, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) denied any complicity in the scandal, describing it as an "unnecessary distraction by the Action Congress (AC) to score cheap political points."

The Ekiti State PDP chairman, Bola Olu-Ojo said: "We are not involved in the bribe scandal. It is arm-twisting and a distraction to the party.

"As a party, PDP is not involved in bribery. We were the first to call for a full investigation.

"We actually demanded for a full investigation and apparently, the president obliged us and subsequently ordered for the full investigation. We support the probe. At the end, the truth shall prevail."

In a related development, the election petition tribunal may soon commence sitting in Ado-Ekiti, to preside over petitions into the governorship re-run election.

Indications to this effect emerged in the Ekiti state capital, following the arrival of Polycarp Nwachucku, the secretary to the tribunal.

When it finally takes off, it shall operate from the state's High Court complex, in Ado-Ekiti.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by Nwachukwu, the secretary stated that "notice is hereby given that the election petitions tribunal in the rerun governorship election in Ekiti State is now in place at the High Court complex, Ado-Ekiti.

"Litigants, lawyers, gentlemen of the press and other members of the public should please take note."

Following its rejection of the results of the election won by Segun Oni of the PDP, AC's candidate, Kayode Fayemi had threatened to approach the tribunal for redress.

The AC alleged that the election was manipulated in favour of the PDP.

Meanwhile, the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) chairman, Professor Stephen Obioma Emejuaiwe was kidnapped on Thursday by unknown gun men in Umuahia while his orderly was shot dead in the operation.

The incident was said to have happened in the morning along Ururuka Road (old Umuahia - Aba Road) while on his way to Aba to attend a reception organised for the state governor, Theodore Orji. Unknown to him, the event had been called off.

The Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Ali Okechukwu, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, saying that the police "have their ears close to the ground" for possible clues on the whereabouts of Emejuaiwe.

He also confirmed that a police orderly, a sergeant, attached to the ABSIEC boss was killed by the kidnappers.

"We're doing everything possible to see that the man is rescued alive," the police spokesman said, adding that Emejuaiwe's official vehicle, a Toyota Camry, had been recovered.

Negotiations are said to have commenced with Emejuaiwe's kidnappers who have demanded for N50 million ransom before releasing him, and have turned down the N2.5 million said to have been offered them.

From Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia and Toba Suleiman in Ado-Ekiti