There are reports that the Taraba House of Assembly has elected a new Speaker a week after the former Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa died after a brief illness.

The new Speaker was said to have been elected after a consensus vote by members of the House who agreed to retain the Speakership position in the Southern Senatorial Zone of the state where Haruna hailed from.

Reports say the Deputy Speaker, Tanko Maikerifi was disqualified to allow for religious balancing in the leadership of the state.

Premium Times Newspapers report it thus:

Acting Governor Garba Umar is Muslim and the lawmakers believe another Muslim should not be allowed to lead the second most powerful arm of government in the state.

Mr. Tsokwa died of a yet undisclosed ailment on the morning of November 4 at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, the Taraba state capital.

The late speaker was a staunch supporter of Acting Governor Garba in the ongoing battle for the control of the state.

Mr. Tsokwa had escaped death by the whiskers on September 19 when suspected gunmen attacked his convoy along the Jos – Abuja road.

He escaped unhurt but some policemen in his convoy sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds during an exchange of fire between them and their attackers.