The Governor of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State Simon Kun Puoch on Friday issued a decree removing from office the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly Chol Choli Arop.

The governor was acting under articles 47 and 48 of the state transitional constitution. He also issued another decree appointing Joseph Deng Parach as new speaker of the state parliament.

A source confirmed that a disagreement had erupted between the governor and the sacked speaker over dissolution of the specialized committees in the assembly as well as election of a new deputy speaker in a sitting that he had chaired.