İmamoğlu compares Binali Yıldırım and Murat Kurum: 'He started overheating from the very first days...'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu met with citizens in Sancaktepe as part of his local election campaign.

İmamoğlu also visited the stands of DEVA, CHP, AKP, IYI Party, and Saadet Party located in the square where the clock tower is situated, and conveyed his best wishes for success.

NOTABLE DIALOGUE WITH AKP MEMBERS REGARDING MEMBERSHIP

A dialogue İmamoğlu had with party members while visiting the AKP stand drew attention.

AKP Sancaktepe Youth Branch President Emrah Albayrak was handing election brochures to İmamoğlu when another party member offered the IMM Mayor, "Mr. Mayor, we can make you a member if you want."

"Are you going to make me a member? How much do you want me, really?" replied İmamoğlu, making everyone laugh.

At the end of these words, İmamoğlu hugged the AKP supporter and expressed his wish: "Beyond everything, let there be an election environment in peace and harmony. May no one's nose bleed, may no one's heart be broken. Let ideas compete. People can criticize each other, they can debate. But at the end of the day, on April 1, we are all neighbors, we are all friends, we are all relatives. There are people in the same family who vote for different parties. Therefore, may God help everyone. May God not let anyone be embarrassed."

"HE HAS ALREADY STARTED MAKING UP SLANDERS"

Holding a rally after his shopkeeper visit, İmamoğlu recounted the dialogue he had at the AKP stand as follows;

"Today, while walking around in Sancaktepe, I went with my Mayor Alper and stopped by the AKP stand. The person there is my fellow citizen. He is my neighbor. Or maybe my relative. All of our relatives vote for other parties too. They vote for this party. They vote for that party. Why should I divide them? I went and shook their hands. My fellow citizen there said, 'Come, let's make you a member.' I said, 'Wow, how much you love me. May God be pleased with you,' I said. Now, why did I tell this? Our hearts are this rich."

Speaking about Binali Yıldırım, Ekrem İmamoğlu continued;

"But let me say this; I was more satisfied with my opponent in 2019—may he be remembered well—Mr. Binali Yıldırım. I said my current opponent would struggle a bit, but he started overheating even in the very first days, let me tell you. It is clear and obvious. Why do I say this? Because he has already started making up some slanders. As soon as they get cornered, what do they do? They try to question everyone's national sentiments. They did this, didn't they? And sometimes, they shamelessly try to question their faith. Do you know what I always say? I do not have the right to question the faith of a single servant of God among my 86 million citizens in the Republic of Turkey, nor do I have the right to question their national sentiments."

"THEY WILL GET EVEN MORE OUT OF HAND"

"Shall I tell you one more thing? The man who would question my passion for my homeland, my nation, my flag, my ancestors, my grandfather, my grandmother, and my Atatürk has not yet been born. Mind your own business. That is why he overheated, that is why. Let me say something else. Because I know they will get even more out of hand. Let's say this in advance so everyone knows their place. Let me go further. Faith is between God and the servant. The Creator has given us such a beautiful religion that no one can measure anyone else's faith. No one can even interpret anyone else's faith. It is between me and the Creator. I only take refuge in the Creator. I only take refuge in the Creator, and I only fear the Creator. I do not fear any servant of God. The servant of God who would question my faith, who would interpret my faith, has not been born yet, my brother. Mind your own business. Therefore, do not believe these ugly words. Do not engage with these ugly words. Do not concern yourself with those ugly words."

"BINALI OR SISI?"

"Do you know why you shouldn't concern yourself? They love U-turns. Do you remember what happened in 2019? What did the President say? Do you remember? 'Binali or Sisi?' Supposedly, I am Sisi. Well, on February 14, on Valentine's Day, didn't he go to Egypt, right to his side, to his feet, looking into his eyes? He did. I guess he will vote for me, let me say. I think so. Isn't that right? Now look, jokes aside, this business, this language, this politics has no place on this nation's agenda. But let me say this; if the honorable Sisi wants to come to Turkey, I will host him in Istanbul. By the way, let me say this: This city, this beautiful Istanbul, this beautiful country, this beautiful state, this beautiful nation does not deserve this attitude, these double-standard speeches. My beautiful children, my beautiful youth, my beautiful people do not deserve this kind of approach."