Challenge from Ümit Özdağ to Meral Akşener, who plans to sue: 'I will name them in court'

Victory Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ had made a striking claim about former Good Party chairwoman Meral Akşener during his appearance on Mine Özbek's program on YouTube.

Özdağ had stated, “Ms. Meral became a candidate, Muharrem İnce became a candidate. He received fewer votes than his party. There was a company that handled Akşener's work. After I left the party, they came to me. ‘Professor, I spoke with Ms. Meral, she didn't listen to me. We met in Ankara, she took me to a room where we wouldn't be overheard. She said, ‘Don't ask me why, we are electing the man as President. If you give my name, I will deny it.’”

Akşener, in turn, announced that she would file a lawsuit against Ümit Özdağ, saying, "I have been very tolerant of him until today. He founded a party, he left us. I was as careful as possible. But as of today, I am also addressing him, even though I hadn't denied the sentences he formed. I will deny Özdağ in court. We will all see together. I will sue everyone who slanders me and claims to have documents and information. I will say, ‘Bring your document.’ Everyone is running away.”

"IF A LAWSUIT IS FILED, I WILL SAY WHAT IS NECESSARY IN COURT"

Following Akşener's 'court' move, a new statement came from Ümit Özdağ.

Speaking to Sözcü columnist Aytunç Erkin, Ümit Özdağ said, “Meral Akşener is free to file a lawsuit. But this is not a legal matter, it is a political one. I am also very curious about what the court will say on this matter. As a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, she will use her legal rights. If a lawsuit is filed, I will say what is necessary in court. Just as I said it in front of the public.”

Regarding the rumors circulating in the corridors about Akşener joining the People's Alliance (Cumhur İttifakı), Özdağ expressed the view, “Meral Akşener is not a political figure for me, I do not position her anywhere. But I think she will continue in politics and that the axis of her continuation in politics will be the People's Alliance.” Özdağ added, “Mr. Aytunç, six months before the 2023 elections, I said on Kayseri Kent Tv that Meral Akşener would leave the table. After returning to the table, I said that if Erdoğan won the election, Akşener would approach the People's Alliance after the election.”

FATİH ALTAYLI REVEALED THE PERSON ÖZDAĞ SAID 'I WILL NAME'

Journalist Fatih Altaylı revealed the polling company and its owner that Özdağ referred to when he said, "There is a company that does strategy consulting for the Good Party and also conducts polls. A very famous company. Its name is the owner's surname." According to Altaylı, the person who voiced this claim about Meral Akşener to Ümit Özdağ was Murat Gezici, the head of the Gezici Research Company. Fatih Altaylı stated that Ümit Özdağ himself told him the name Murat Gezici.

News Source: 12punto