A striking confession regarding the 2023 elections: İmamoğlu's statement on early elections and Erdoğan's re-nomination

Union of Municipalities of Turkey (TBB) and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu met with Ankara representatives of media organizations.

Stating that he found the remarks of İbrahim Kaboğlu, who was elected President of the Istanbul Bar Association, regarding the unchangeable articles of the Constitution to be unfortunate, İmamoğlu said, "The first 4 articles of the Constitution are defined in a very positive and strong manner, and there is no position or situation regarding these 4 articles that should be a subject of discussion in our Turkey."

Stating that he comes to Ankara every month for TBB meetings, İmamoğlu noted that they have decided to hold TBB Executive Committee meetings in different regions of Turkey as well.

"THIS MEETING DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIAL SCOPE AS A 'WARM-UP TOUR' FOR ANKARA"

Expressing that they have not had the opportunity to hold a comprehensive meeting with members of the press working in Ankara during his nearly 6-year tenure as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and 6-month tenure as TBB President, İmamoğlu continued as follows: 

"Frankly, this meeting does not have a special scope as a 'warm-up tour' for Ankara. I first came to Ankara when I was 5 years old. I have been a warm person towards Ankara ever since. First and foremost, when I come and visit Anıtkabir and pray, I feel very peaceful on behalf of my country. 

And I am someone who knows that it is a city entrusted by Atatürk, and at the same time a city of civilization. In that respect, the sincere answer to the comments that 'İmamoğlu is opening up to Ankara' is exactly what I said above."

“I WANT TO ASK 'WHERE IS THIS STATE'”

After summarizing his work in Istanbul and evaluating developments on the agenda, İmamoğlu noted the following regarding the baby-killer Newborn Gang scandal:

“As a society, we have heavy traumas these days. I don't think we have ever experienced such helplessness before. We have always thought, 'In every difficult time, someone, the lovers of this country, the educated people of this country, must be working on solutions somewhere; we are not alone.' 

However, the heart-wrenching issues that have erupted one after another recently have deepened social anxieties. Everyone who is not detached from the nation has realized that we have reached a dangerous psychological threshold. 

We are now living in a period where the individual does not feel the protective and supportive power of the public, nor justice. This is a dangerous phase. 'I want to ask, "Where is this state?"' While babies' lives are being targeted, I want to ask, 'Where is this state?' While criminals of robbery, murder, and rape are released and commit the same crimes again, I want to say, 'Where is this state?' 

While judges, prosecutors, and police officers have been engaging in bad conditions and images, sometimes disgrace, that are the subject of documentaries for years, 'Where is this state?' While those who are so brazen as to sell goods to their own ministry while being ministers, mafias, betting gangs, drug gangs, and show-offs display their shameful deeds comfortably, I want to ask, 'Where is this state?' 

How did we come to the days when civil servants with high-level official duties in the state smuggle gold into the country from airports, why are we experiencing these, while all this is happening, we want to ask from here, 'Where is this state?'"

“IF THERE IS A PARTY MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR BABY DEATHS, THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE”

İmamoğlu also gave the following response to a question regarding the “Newborn Gang” that shook the agenda and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council member Ahmet Atilla Yılmaz, whose name is mentioned in the investigation:

“If there is a party member responsible for baby deaths, they will be held accountable. They will stay away from us. If you are making a reference through one of our council members, he is not in a position where his crime has been finalized, nor does he have a position directly related to the deaths. But despite that, both he and we thought that he should resign. These resignation mechanisms fulfill their purpose for whoever is involved in the process; they are cleared and return, if not cleared, the party takes its measures.”

RESPONSE TO THE EARLY ELECTION QUESTION

İmamoğlu said the following regarding a possible early election:

"Of course, we are waiting for the conditions of an early election, etc., we are not waiting, I don't want to enter that side, but I want to say this side. As of today, there is no government before us that will win this election. 

If this election is lost, we will only lose it as the opposition. We will lose it with our own mistakes, deficiencies, disagreements, or lack of preparation. 

Establishing an opposition structure that will not give an opportunity for this, bringing the social opposition together in a strong way, and an opposition stance and an environment where common sense prevails, which will make children and young people clearly explain how they will prepare for Turkey's future, has clearly won us the election from today. 

In my opinion, today's government does not have the capacity to carry the burden that Turkey has created both nationally and internationally."

ERDOĞAN'S RE-NOMINATION

In response to a question about AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's re-nomination, İmamoğlu said, “It is essential for the law to function. Candidacies must be formed with a legitimate order. In this context, at the point the day has reached, just as it is everyone's right where there is no legal obstacle, it is also Mr. Erdoğan's right to be a candidate. 

I find it more powerful for the pulse of the people to determine the early election rather than it being an issue fueled by political parties and brought to the agenda every day. 

In this context, a ground is forming, but I don't know when it will materialize. Instead of an opposition party saying early election every day, I find it more valuable for my party to be a party that explains its solutions to the country's problems every day. Which is the case, our party has an intensive program work currently. 

Such a process both motivates society and is reassuring for the opposition.”

"I LEAVE IT TO GOD"

When asked for his assessment regarding the death of FETÖ ringleader Fetullah Gülen, İmamoğlu noted the following:

"I leave the person at the head of an organizational structure that was etched as a black stain on a period of Turkey to God after his passing. I say, may God do as He knows. It has no other importance for me. 

But this country has been subjected to a very great trauma. But I would like to express this concern. Other organizations, other formations have the capacity to breed and multiply in this country. This is still continuing. There are still structures that infiltrate the country's institutions and create mechanisms by using our beautiful religion and faith as a tool. There are still those who remain silent in the face of these. I care more about talking about new threats."

"I AM NOT SUCH AN OPPORTUNISTIC PERSON"

Regarding the question about the case against him whose appeal process is ongoing, İmamoğlu stated that he was saddened by the fact that this case was on the country's agenda, and expressed, "I want to trust the judges. And I want these matters to end in the Court of Appeal and be removed from the agenda."

Regarding the claims that he could be a candidate for the CHP Chairmanship to avoid receiving a sentence in the case at the Court of Appeal, Ekrem İmamoğlu replied, "I am not such an opportunistic person. I would not be a part of such an agenda. My party has a Chairman. I am at the head of my duty, serving Istanbul. 

I have no such agenda. Frankly, I find it very strange that such an excuse is even discussed for the judiciary to function in a country."

"THERE IS NO RIGHT WING OR LEFT WING TO THIS BUSINESS"

Upon a journalist reminding him of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's statement regarding the presidential candidacy, "There is Ekrem İmamoğlu on the left wing and Mansur Yavaş on the right wing," İmamoğlu spoke as follows:

"I am proud of Mr. Mansur's success. I am honored by his being liked. Our dialogue, contact, and solidarity with our mayors started from the first months of 2019. 

I coordinated it by inviting them to Istanbul at the first meeting, and by coordinating all the meetings after that, a tremendous solidarity network of 11 Metropolitan Mayors was formed over 5 years. I am very saddened that it is perceived as if it were a race in this field. 

We have no such situation. We are teammates, we are fellow travelers. There is no right wing or left wing to this business. The institution of fellowship is important to me. By the way, I also shared this with my Chairman. 

The goal of the issue of fellowship and teamwork is one. And we are people running towards that goal. We are people within that team. When the day comes, as I said, both our party's boards and our nation will make the most correct decision."

“CANDIDACY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A FEW ELITES WILL DIRECT”

Regarding the question, “You are one of those whose name is mentioned for candidacy in the next presidential election. Are you a presidential candidate?” İmamoğlu said, “When the day comes, our nation will also decide on the candidates. That business is not something that a few elites will direct. I have a party, the decision-making mechanisms of my party will function. And the nation will decide on the President.”

“IF WE COULD HAVE MOVED UP A CLASS, WE WOULD HAVE WON IN 2023”

Stating that there is currently a government that has failed the class and that they want to be an opposition that helps the country move up a class, İmamoğlu said, “If we could have moved up a class, we would have won in the 2023 election, but we couldn't. For some reason, I don't hear questions about this topic. The candidacy dimension has been polluted. 

It has evolved into a position that is written and drawn every day. This tires us. We have already set out. We are against this system. We are determined to establish a new democratic order. We are acting with the feeling of creating a new strong democratic populism, an inclusive society that does not polarize. 

We want to create a country that can put a vision into every city, every town. I am someone who struggles in every position to be a fellow traveler, a passenger, and a pioneer of this path. I am someone who set a goal the day after we lost the 2023 elections,” he said.

News Source: 12punto