CHP deputy confirms: Özlem Çerçioğlu to resign from her party and join the AKP

Claims that CHP Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu will switch to the AKP have been circulating on social media and in some media outlets. According to inside information obtained by 12punto, it is alleged that Sultanhisar Mayor Osman Yıldırımkaya will also join the AKP alongside Çerçioğlu.

Çerçioğlu had denied the claims that she would switch from the CHP to the AK Party at the beginning of August, stating:

"The rumors that I will change parties are completely baseless; there is no question of me switching to another party, not yesterday, not today, nor tomorrow. Such rumors are merely gossip intended to mislead the public."

Some local news sites had featured claims that Çerçioğlu was preparing to switch to the AKP through Söke Mayor Mustafa İberya Arıkan, and that Arıkan had been making political and judicial contacts for this purpose.

Sultanhisar Mayor Yıldırımkaya, who is alleged to be joining the AKP along with Çerçioğlu, had previously said, "We need to be around her and support her. Çerçioğlu has nothing to do with rent-seeking; she is not someone who would do anything wrong. Even if she goes independent or to another party, we will be by her side. This injustice is unacceptable. Aydın is a right-wing conservative city. I did not receive support from the CHP in the last local elections; there is a rift between us that is difficult to repair," which drew backlash from the people of Aydın.

CHP DEPUTY CONFIRMS

CHP Aydın Deputy Süleyman Bülbül spoke to Sözcü TV and confirmed the claims. Bülbül stated that Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Çerçioğlu, as well as the mayors of Söke, Sultanhisar, and Yenipazar, would be switching to the AKP.

News Source: 12punto