EXTRA: Teach me how you returned to senate after losing APC presidential ticket, Okorocha tells Lawan

Rochas Okorocha, senator representing Imo west, says the return of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to the upper legislative chamber is a mystery.

He said Lawan should teach him how he returned to the senate after losing the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lawan and Okorocha contested the primary election of the APC but lost to President Bola Tinubu.

His participation in the primary meant that Lawan would not be able to contest the Yobe north senatorial ticket of the APC.  Bashir Machina was elected as the candidate for the senatorial zone at the time.

However, the supreme court affirmed Lawan as the authentic candidate even though he did not contest the primary.

Speaking during the valedictory session of the ninth senate on Saturday, the former governor of Imo said Lawan’s return to the senate needed to be discussed.

“I did not contest for senate this period. I only contested for the office of the president,” Okorocha, who is not returning to the senate, said.

“You are a very smart politician. How you came back [to the senate] is another chapter in our political history that we need to discuss.

“I was there in the field with you running for president, I never knew how you were able to meander, leaving some of us. Next time you must teach me how to do that.”

Responding, Lawan said there was nothing to learn from how he returned to the upper legislative chamber.

“It was easy. I was there with you in the field and after our defeat, my constituents thought they needed me again,” he said.

“They asked for me to come back and it was a tortious journey because we had to go through the courts. I didn’t even appeal the judgement that did not give me the contest.

“The party and the stakeholders appealed on my behalf up to the supreme court, so there is nothing critical or remarkable. In fact, you have nothing to learn from it.”

Okorocha however added that: “I want to be your student next time. It is more of the more you look, the less you see.”