Özgür Özel responds to the question of a third candidate! Will there be an alternative to the CHP?

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel spoke about his party's roadmap following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Özel, who has been in Saraçhane since March 19, when İmamoğlu was detained, said, "This was an attempted coup. This place is a symbol. It is being done against the will of Istanbul. Every coup targets a symbolic location. Usually, these are parliament buildings or, if governed by a monarchy, royal palaces."

THE GOAL IS TO COLLECT AS MANY SIGNATURES AS THE VOTES RECEIVED BY ERDOĞAN

Speaking to Sözcü columnist Güney Öztürk, Özel said, "We will launch a signature campaign with the demand for Ekrem İmamoğlu to be tried without arrest and for a primary election to be held as soon as possible. The 15 million people who designated Ekrem İmamoğlu as the presidential candidate and our 1 million 750 thousand members will start a massive signature campaign together with the holiday."

The goal is to collect as many signatures as the votes received by Tayyip Erdoğan in the last elections in Turkey (author's note: 27.73 million). We will launch a campaign during the holiday that will strengthen the demand for an early election. After the holiday, we will continue with large rallies in metropolitan cities; Ankara, İzmir, Antalya, Mersin, Adana, Trabzon, and Bursa," he said.

Özel responded to the question, "Could a third presidential candidate name come to the agenda after this point? A female candidate, for example?" as follows:

"There is no alternative other than Ekrem İmamoğlu. Ekrem İmamoğlu is our presidential candidate. We have filed a lawsuit against the cancellation of his diploma to make Ekrem İmamoğlu a candidate. I think we will get results very soon.

Because it was cancelled in a very unlawful manner. In that case, there will be no obstacle left before his candidacy. Whether Ekrem İmamoğlu is inside or outside, he is our candidate. Ekrem İmamoğlu will lie in jail, read his book, and we will win that election on his behalf.

The motivation that can gather 1.5 million people on a Sunday evening in a place like the historic peninsula, while all transportation is banned, recognizes no obstacles in front of it. No one can stand before the rushing flood of 15 million people, with their canes, their walkers, pregnant women with babies in their wombs, and disabled people running to vote.

We will push for Ekrem İmamoğlu's candidacy until the last day of nominating candidates. There is no other name on our agenda. But if İmamoğlu's official candidacy is not possible, someone else will emerge as a candidate. It does not matter who is in place of İmamoğlu. We will win this election on behalf of Ekrem İmamoğlu."