He spoke from Manisa: Özgür Özel's statement on presidential candidacy

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel attended his party's 39th Ordinary Provincial Congress in Manisa and addressed the party members.

FERDİ ZEYREK WAS NOT FORGOTTEN

During the congress, the late former Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek was also commemorated. Zeyrek's photograph was displayed in the hall with the note, "We will not forget you."

SOLE CANDIDATE İLKSEN ÖZALPER

At the congress, İlksen Özalper entered the election as the sole candidate for the CHP Manisa Provincial Presidency.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL DELIVERED A SPEECH

Taking the podium, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel gave an emotional speech. Özel stated the following:

"We left this hall by electing Ferdi as provincial chairman. And we left this hall by putting aside years of struggle and standing as one fist as Manisa. We said, 'From here on, we will change Manisa and we will change Turkey.'

Ferdi is a brother with whom I have dreamed since our youth and with whom we have realized our dreams together. After Ferdi became provincial chairman at that provincial congress, we all set out together for my candidacy for general chairman. And in that process, whoever was in Manisa sent us off with enthusiasm, just like the enthusiastic welcome we received while coming to the hall a little while ago, and they stood behind us. They ran with me everywhere in Turkey, as far as their breath could take them."

"MANISA WAS THERE WITH 2500 PEOPLE"

Describing the day of the party convention, Özel expressed the following words:

"When we entered the convention hall, we were doing a tour in the Arena hall, just like here. After touring for a while, the Istanbul delegation was in front of us, crowded, and Chairman Özgür pointed and said, 'Chairman, there is Istanbul.' Indeed, Istanbul was giving great support in the hall with perhaps 800 people. Then we turned the corner. Manisa was there with 2500 people; you were there.

At that moment, I heard Ferdi's voice behind me. He said to Chairman Özgür Çelik, 'Look, this is Manisa, brother, how is it?' That day, as Provincial Chairman, you stood by me together with Chairman Ferdi, and since that day, we have all started to believe in bigger dreams together."

'PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY' STATEMENT

Evaluating the presidential candidacy, Özel noted the following:

"Suppose we couldn't make a candidate that day. A soldier from the party will become a candidate, but there will not be the slightest decrease in the struggle, and we will carry out this process together. Now they are asking us for a presidential candidate to replace Mayor Ekrem.

I have always thought and said this in the past: 'Do you have a presidential candidate to replace Mayor Ekrem?' I say, 'Yes,' 'Who?' 'Honestly, not me, it's you.'

Everyone sitting in this hall is my presidential candidate. You are my presidential candidates. You are as much as I am. It is time to wake up in the morning not saying, 'Oh no, what will happen to us today,' but saying, 'Come on, we are one day closer to power.'"

Özel concluded his speech with these words:

"Let those who love me follow me. Are we ready to march to power, to close an era and open a new one? An era will close, an era will open; let those who love me, those who love their country, follow me. Democrats will win, Republicans will win, those who love Atatürk, those who love this country will win!"