Özgür Özel in the AKP stronghold: 'We will share news that will drop like a bombshell on the agenda'

Kayseri became the 75th stop for the 'Standing Up for the National Will' rallies organized by the CHP for the release of Ekrem İmamoğlu and for early elections. Before the rally in Kayseri, known as an AKP stronghold, posters hung in the city were removed by municipal police yesterday.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel entered the rally area at 1:00 PM with a truck containing 25 million signatures collected for the CHP's presidential candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

CHP Kayseri Provincial Chairman Ümit Özer read a message from İmamoğlu, who is currently detained in Silivri Prison, before the rally.

“The people of Kayseri with rich hearts and free consciences… My beautiful citizens… Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear youth, precious children… I greet you with love and respect. I embrace each of you with longing and yearning. Welcome. We have everything to become one of the richest, happiest, and freest countries in the world.

But it is not enough. Because if there is no justice, there is no abundance or prosperity, and peace and happiness will not come. This government, which has lost its conscience, energy, and qualified staff; no longer produces service or action, only injustice. In every field it touches, in every job, it unfairly protects and favors some while victimizing the nation. It adds wealth to the wealth of some and adds trouble to the troubles of the nation.”

“IT DOES NOT EVEN ALLOW THE COURTS TO DISPENSE JUSTICE”

“This government, which produces injustice in every field, does not even allow the courts to dispense justice. In all 9 of the cases I am being tried in, the judges were exiled to other courts and other cities. The government, which tramples on the law; does not stop at anything against honorable members of the judiciary so that judges and prosecutors do not feel secure and courts remain under the government's command.

A handful of seat-addicts are doing all kinds of evil to keep a one-man regime alive where the 'government's law and the government's institutions' prevail, not the rule of law, and where the national will is ignored. They are trying to force everyone they see as an obstacle on this path to bow down through bullying, blackmail, and conspiracies.”

“THIS WILL NOT GO ON LIKE THIS”

“We all know very well what they are aiming for and what they are targeting. They are trying to do through a guided judiciary and bullying what they could not achieve through politics and the ballot box. By leaving their rivals out of politics and suppressing the national will, they are after establishing a tutelage regime. It is because of this mentality that we are constantly living in crisis.

It is because of this mentality that our citizens wake up every morning to a poorer, more unjust, and more uncertain life. As we move away from law and democracy, we move away from prosperity, abundance, and blessings. As we move away from justice and freedom, we move away from peace, unity, and brotherhood. This will not go on like this. Because no power is above the will of the nation. The nation is great.”

“A SINGLE PERSON WILL GO, THE NATION'S GOVERNMENT WILL COME”

“That ballot box they run away from in fear will come before us, and we will breathe a sigh of relief as a nation. We will attain a free, rich, and happy Turkey where only the interests of the nation are considered in education, health, justice, security, and foreign policy. When we receive the mandate from the nation, we will not do to anyone what was done to us. We will never deviate from law and democracy.

How we see ourselves, we will see everyone else. Whatever we want for ourselves, we will want the same for everyone. The 'era of me' will end in this country, and the 'era of us' will begin. A single person will go, the nation's government will come. A single person will go, 86 million will attain justice, prosperity, peace, and happiness. Everything will be very beautiful. Ekrem İmamoğlu. Silivri Dungeon.”

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL CHALLENGED FROM KAYSERI

After İmamoğlu's letter was read, CHP leader Özgür Özel took the podium. Here are the highlights from Özel's statements addressing the citizens in Kayseri:

Today we are in the middle of December. We are in a square in Kayseri that will not be filled easily. They said the CHP cannot fill that square. They said this cannot happen in this harsh winter. I asked why, they said Kayseri is the AKP's stronghold. Let those who say this see this square. That stronghold politics is over. Kayseri is no one's stronghold. Kayseri is the stronghold of the nation.

We did not come to hold a political party rally, but to take refuge in the conscience of Kayseri, to say rights, law, and justice; we came to this square to make heard the voices of the 27 million people who elected them, whose will is imprisoned today even though they were elected with the lawful votes of this nation, the voices of those who worked for years, retired and were left in misery, those whose labor was exploited, the farmers who were crushed under credit interest while they were the masters of the nation, and the tradesmen who were miserable while the nation was in this state; we did not come to hold a rally, we came to take action.

ÖZEL'S STERN REACTION TO THE REMOVAL OF POSTERS

They have upset you. I heard that they took down the posters of this action, the posters of this party, pictures of me and Mayor Ekrem. Do not be upset at all. They collect the posters, we collect the square. Have you ever seen someone who collects posters win an election? Those who collect the nation win the election. Those who collected the posters for this rally in Kayseri will go, those who collect the nation in this square will come.

"PARLIAMENT IS NOW ON THE STREET, IN THE SQUARE"

First of all, let's say this, today is Saturday but Parliament is open. Budget negotiations are being held there. I was there on the first day for the budget negotiations. They brought a budget that has a 2.7 trillion deficit from the first day. A budget that gives a misery salary of 16,800 liras, ignores the retiree, crushes the laborer below the hunger limit with a 22,000 lira minimum wage, does not hear their voice, does not see or hear the farmer, the tradesman, or the youth. There is a budget sworn to take away the nation's right to the budget and make a budget for a handful of rich people, to forgive their taxes, to give them incentives, but to ignore the nation.

That day I said that if this budget is like this, if it does not see the nation, does not hear the street, and does not meet people's expectations, meaning if the nation is not in Parliament, then Parliament is now on the street, in the square.

"YOU WILL SEE, AFTER THE FIRST ELECTION..."

In this city, unfortunately, we have not been able to win elections for 35 years. But we never got angry at Kayseri, we did not look for the fault in Kayseri. We will not look for it from now on either. We did not try to stage a coup by ignoring the will of Kayseri. We saw the shortcomings and faults in ourselves. In 2019, while we did not have a single municipality in any district of Kayseri, we increased our number of municipalities to 4 in the last elections.

You will see that after the first election to be held, our municipal understanding, which makes Ankara and Istanbul smile and provides beautiful, equal, and fair service to 65 percent of the population, will come to power in the country with the first election. We will spread brotherhood, equality, and wealth to the base, not to the top like some others. We will not spread taxes to the top and wealth to the base, we will spread taxes to the base and wealth to the top.

"THEY FORGOT KAYSERI WHEN IT CAME TO SERVICE"

We are in the city of those who seek the future in the skies. We are in a city that established an aircraft factory, produced aircraft, and exported them in the early years of the republic under the instruction of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Tayyip Bey recently said to the youth, 'There were no sewing needles before us.' I am calling out from here. The foundation of the sewing needle factory was laid during the CHP government, and the late Adnan Menderes cut the ribbon in 1950. In this city, let alone a sewing needle, an aircraft factory was established in the third year of the republic under the instruction of the Gazi. This place is the capital of philanthropy, industry, and exports. This city has serious problems. Those who received votes from Kayseri for years forgot Kayseri when it came to service.

Those who collect taxes from Kayseri with a shovel give back with a teaspoon in service. The highway connection and high-speed train line expected in Kayseri for years did not happen. It is hard to believe, but there are 40 thousand unemployed in this city. 60 thousand households live in need of aid. 16 percent of agricultural lands are under mortgage. This year, the property of farmers who cannot pay their debts will fall into the hands of banks. In 2025, 1300 tradesmen have gone bankrupt in a place like Kayseri. Mr. Erdoğan came a few days before the elections and made promises to the tradesmen in Kayseri. We will lower retirement to 7200 days, they still haven't made any improvements.

Promises made to tradesmen for years are not kept. We gave 20 of our children as martyrs on the return from Azerbaijan. 10 of these children were our children working at the main jet base in Kayseri. When we visited there once again, we saw once again what a great nation, what a beautiful army, and what shining soldiers they are. May Turkey's condolences be accepted for our Kayseri and our nation. May God not let us experience such great pains again. We are participating together in the solidarity feelings that all of Turkey has shown with our martyrs from Kayseri. We applaud the TSK and our heroic soldiers with enthusiasm. May God be pleased with them.

"THE SECOND HIGHEST INTEREST RATE IN THE WORLD IS IN THIS COUNTRY"

We have been experiencing a chronic economic crisis since 2018. The ruling party has received many votes in this city, it is very strong. Do you see them on the street now, are they coming, are they going to the market, are they visiting tradesmen? They cannot come, they have no face left to look at us. They cannot come because they have no face left to look at us. They sit in warm halls and have themselves applauded by those they appointed. We are bad in the economy, but they say the world is bad. Let no one believe this. We counted them one by one in Parliament. Turkey is number one in Europe in high inflation, number one in food inflation, and third in the world. It is the third country in the world with the highest food inflation. It is number one in Europe in unemployment, and also in high interest rates. The second highest interest rate in the world is in this country. The world has solved the inflation problem. The world average for red meat is 7 dollars, red meat in Turkey is 21 dollars. Kayseri is the province that can do these calculations best.

MINIMUM WAGE CALL

In Germany, Hans gets 2100 Euros, Hasan gets 440 Euros. Before the AKP, the minimum wage could buy 7 quarter gold coins. Now it buys two quarter gold coins. The lowest pension could buy 8 quarter gold coins before the AKP, currently it buys 1.5 quarter gold coins. Shame on those who make retirees, whose hands have become calloused for years, crawl. The minimum wage will be raised, do not be stingy with the employer, the shroud has no pockets, he says. What he does is a great fraud. Premium support should be given to the employer. The minimum wage should not be 27-28 thousand liras, it should be 39 thousand liras.

"I PROMISE FROM HERE..."

The state cannot withdraw from behind the minimum wage earner and leave him to the conscience of the boss. Since you are not finding resources, this period of oppression must end. I promise from here. In the first ballot box to come, the era of the Minister's children will end, the era of the nation's children will begin.

"DO NOT SPARE YOUR PRAYERS FOR GÜLŞAH"

When I look at the stronghold, you have hung the picture of my brother Ferdi Zeyrek, thank you all very much. Our minds and ears are in Manisa, with Gülşah Durubay. Do not spare your prayers for Gülşah Durubay.

"WHOEVER RAISES THEIR VOICE MEETS THE COLD FACE OF THE REGIME"

Whoever raises their voice meets the cold face of this regime. Journalists, youth, mayors, bureaucrats, and academics are in prison in this country. Eventually, that ballot box will come. This nation will hold them accountable for our youth, Fatih Altaylı, Mayor Ekrem, and everyone who is unjustly held inside. In the past, when you sold a kilo of wheat, you could sell a liter of diesel. Now you sell 6 kilos of wheat to buy a kilo of diesel. The farmer is at a loss.

STATEMENT REGARDING THE "AKBIL" CASE

Look, Ekrem İmamoğlu has been in prison for almost 9 months today. Mayor Ekrem's crime, Mayor Ekrem's crime, his only crime is defeating Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Because he defeated him in Beylikdüzü, because he defeated him again on June 24, 2023, when his certificate of election was canceled, because he defeated him by a margin of 1,150,000 this time despite all the obstacles for 5 years, he is the target of Tayyip Erdoğan.

The date of March 19 is a coup attempt initiated by the AK Party's dark order against the national will, which it now looks down upon, even though it once crowned it as national will when it was elected and came to power. Let's say it clearly today, whoever the people of Kayseri want, they manage them, they should manage them. The people of Kayseri gave the votes to the Metropolitan Mayor of Kayseri, as well as the mayors of Melikgazi and other metropolitan districts. It is their right to manage this district, this metropolitan city.

"THEY MIXED UP SOME THINGS WITH SLEIGHT OF HAND 2 YEARS AGO"

If the government were in another party tomorrow and came to the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, if they carried out an operation without proof, without evidence, and if you called them they would come, by raiding their house in the morning, making their child cry, making their spouse miserable, I would be the first to stand against it. You call them, they give their statement. You try them without arrest, you put forward your evidence, if there is a crime it is proven, and justice is served. But Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself, while he was the IBB Mayor, was accused and tried for all these crimes, let me remind you clearly. They accused Tayyip Erdoğan of bribery, extortion, rigging bids, and providing financial aid to terrorist organizations. They tried him. They even came to power before the trials were completed. The Akbil case was still pending. They mixed up some things with sleight of hand 2 years ago.

"FORGET MAYOR EKREM'S FINALIZED SENTENCE, HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A TRIAL"

But I am asking by reminding not the CHP members but the AK Party members from Kayseri. Did the police come to Tayyip Bey's house one morning? Was he ever taken and brought to the Vatan Security Directorate? Were photos taken with two police officers on his two arms? Was his family, his children persecuted? Was he put in prison and tried while detained for a day? He received a sentence of 3 months for a poem he read, which I wish he hadn't. They called him to prison by phone. They sent him off with drums and pipes. He went by holding a rally. He recorded poetry cassettes inside. He came out heroically. He founded a party, he did everything. 3 months, 3 months. We have been listening to his victimization for 30 years. Forget Mayor Ekrem's finalized sentence, he doesn't even have a trial. Just yesterday, the indictment we have been waiting for for months was accepted after 2 weeks. The interim order was issued yesterday.

"WE WILL SHARE NEWS THAT WILL DROP LIKE A BOMBSHELL ON THE AGENDA"

Özel, who used the expressions "We will share news that will drop like a bombshell on the agenda" during the rally, continued as follows.

ANOTHER SECRET WITNESS WITHDRAWN IN THE IBB CASE!

Dear people of Kayseri, now here is a new piece of information for all of Turkey, proof of how they are falling apart. You know, they started with 3 secret witnesses at first. Meşe exploded, İlke came. İlke gave up. They had lined up 10-12 more secret witnesses. Look, Ahmet Taşçı, one of those secret witnesses, says exactly this. He submitted a petition. He just submitted it: "The prosecutor's office wanted me to make a statement. But I told them not what I saw and heard, but what I heard from the market. My conscience is not at ease at all. They arrested some people with my statements. I don't want to violate anyone's rights. They wrote what I told them falsely. They served it to the press. I regret it, I am withdrawing from being a secret witness."

Here is the AK Party's judiciary for you. Meşe's situation is clear. İlke's situation is clear. The situation of Ahmet Taşçı, whom they declared a secret witness themselves, is clear... For this, as the Republican People's Party, our foreheads are clear, our heads are high, we want a live broadcast from TRT, from any channel that wants it.

"25.1 MILLION SIGNATURES IN THE KAYSERI SQUARE FOR THE FIRST TIME!"

Now, do you remember when this started 9 months ago? I had gone to Trabzon on the morning of the first day of Ramadan Feast. I had arrived at Mayor Ekrem's village. After the feast prayer, I had gone out in front of the door. I had started a signature campaign starting from the oldest in the village. Do you remember? Yes. What were we saying there? Hey Erdoğan! Hey Erdoğan! Leave my candidate. Bring the ballot box. I want my candidate by my side. I want the ballot box in front of me.

Did you sign this? For 9 months, we collected the signatures of those who wanted the candidate to be released and wanted early elections, with all your efforts and the efforts of our volunteers in 81 provinces and 973 districts in Turkey. It was at the convention last week. 25.1 million signatures in the Kayseri Square for the first time! A round of applause for those who put their hearts into the biggest signature campaign in world political history in Turkey!