Addressing Lawan directly, Okorocha jokingly remarked, "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."
Okorocha's comment referred to Lawan's failed attempt to contest the presidency under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Both Lawan and Okorocha vied for the presidential ticket of their party. However, while Lawan controversially secured a place in the 10th Senate, Okorocha did not.
Lawan's participation in the APC presidential primaries, where he lost to now-President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, rendered him ineligible to contest for the Yobe North senatorial ticket, as per the electoral act. According to the law, Bashir Machina was declared the winner of the APC primaries and became Lawan's placeholder, as supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the Supreme Court delivered a controversial judgment, ruling that Lawan was the authentic candidate for the Yobe North senatorial district. In response to Okorocha's mockery, Lawan explained that his constituents and party stakeholders had appealed on his behalf up to the Supreme Court.
"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," Lawan stated, dismissing Okorocha's jest.