Özgür Özel issues 'Ekrem İmamoğlu' call to Istanbul residents

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel issued the following call to Istanbul residents to come to the courthouse:

“You know that Ekrem İmamoğlu has been summoned to testify tomorrow. Ekrem İmamoğlu is not being summoned as a mayor from Trabzon, not as Mr. Ekrem, the son of Uncle Hasan; he is being summoned as the trustee of that city, whom all of Istanbul entrusted by saying, ‘Manage this city with fairness, without stealing, without plundering, and without waste.’

The one being summoned to testify tomorrow is Istanbul itself. It is primarily the members of the Republican People's Party. But it is all democrats. Everyone who voted for Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is considering voting for him in the future, or who feels the injustice done to him as if it were done to themselves, is the guarantor of this country's future.

That is why I am calling on Istanbul to come to testify tomorrow. I invite the members of the Republican People's Party to come and testify.

"THE BALLOT BOX WILL BE PUT BEFORE THIS NATION IN 2025"

“Where will this nation show the red card? Of course, they will show it at the ballot box. We had stated November 2025 as the latest date, if there is to be an election that Erdoğan wants to enter, because he can only enter if there is an early election. Now, after these events, this ballot box will be put before this nation in 2025.

We will do everything that falls upon us to make it happen. We are completing all our preparations for this, we have accelerated them greatly. From the poll workers and their training, to posters, brochures, banners, party slogans, from the party program to the government and ruling program, and of course to our candidate, we will emerge as the most prepared element of this process and force this government into an election. For this, we first said ‘We are starting,’ now we are preparing, and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the ballot box is put before this nation in a process that will not be long.

You will see that the ballot box will come, and if it doesn't, if they dodge that ballot box, we will put a ballot box before this nation within this year and say, ‘Let's see what you have to say?’ and we will see whether this government has the strength to stand or not. We will do everything for an early election. If they dodge the early election ballot box, we will put a ballot box before this nation. Then we will see what the nation has to say.”

EMPHASIS ON LAWLESSNESS

“My final word is this: the definition of legitimacy is, one, holding a fair election; two, governing in accordance with the law after the election. Elections were held, all the objections and so on... In the end, there is an elected government. But if you are not governing in accordance with the law, you have no legitimacy. This is in the definition of legitimacy for everyone who believes in democracy all over the world. A correct, fair, and free election. Followed by governance in accordance with the law. Those who commit this much lawlessness with the power they received after the elections have no legitimacy left.

"WE WILL NOT SURRENDER"

The government that rules the Republic of Turkey and the president at its head no longer have legitimacy because they do not follow the law while exercising the legitimacy they received at the ballot box, because they do not recognize the Constitutional Court and do not bring the deputy who is supposed to come to Parliament, because they do not comply with the decisions of the judiciary, because they do not comply with international agreements and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, because they unilaterally withdrew from an international agreement that Parliament had entered into overnight and considered it a done deal, and because of everything they do for all kinds of lawlessness. The public does not have to endure an illegitimate government.

That is why the public wants the ballot box, and a great struggle will be waged to ensure that this ballot box arrives. Because they see and understand that struggle, they are attacking everyone they can frighten as a last resort. We do not have to surrender to this. Whatever the cost, whoever they come for, whatever they do, we are challenging them; we will not surrender, and we will wage this struggle all together.”