Ahead of the Saturday supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Beinmopre Jonah, the immediate younger brother of the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, John Jonah, on Thursday escaped assassination by the whiskers.

Thugs, suspected to be working for the All Progressives Congress, invaded his residence in Ekeki, Yenagoa Local Government Area, and inflicted various degrees of machete cuts on him, leaving him unconscious. The thugs were said to have over-powered all persons within the premises of the victim.

As at press time, their victim was still recuperating in the hospital.

Meanwhile,the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa on Thursday said it had commenced distribution of sensitive election materials for Saturday’s supplementary poll in the state.

The Commission’s Public Affairs Officer in Bayelsa, Mr Timidi Wariowei, made this known in Yenagoa.

Wariowei said the Commission received the sensitive materials on Wednesday and distribution had commenced in Ekeremor Local Government Area on Thursday.

He added that “all the materials are now in our custody; the materials include ballot papers and result sheets.

“On the distribution process, we intend to dispatch that of Southern-Ijaw Local Government Area early morning of Saturday.

“You know that the real focus is the Southern-Ijaw and we do not want what happened on Dec. 5, 2015 to repeat itself in that area.

“INEC is prepared to conduct free, fair and credible election for the betterment of the people.

“We have over 100 polling units in the state to conduct the election and Southern-Ijaw; so, we are ready to conduct credible and acceptable election.’’