AKP to transfer 3 mayors and one MP today: Erdoğan to pin their badges

The claim that three CHP municipal officials in Istanbul will join the AKP has moved to the political agenda. Halk TV columnist İsmail Saymaz, in a post on his social media account, claimed that Tuzla Mayor Eren Ali Bingöl, Çekmeköy Mayor Orhan Çerkez, and Şile Deputy Mayor Sacit Terzi will switch to the AKP.

According to Saymaz's claim, the three individuals will join the party at the AKP İstanbul Provincial Advisory Council meeting. Saymaz stated in his post that AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will pin badges on the three CHP members at the meeting.

Saymaz stated, "CHP's Tuzla and Çekmeköy mayors Eren Ali Bingöl and Orhan Çerkez, along with Şile Deputy Mayor Sacit Terzi, are joining the AK Party tomorrow. President Erdoğan will pin badges on the three CHP members at the AK Party Istanbul Provincial Advisory Council meeting."

BİNGÖL HAD TARGETED THE IMM

One of the names subject to the claim, Eren Ali Bingöl, was elected as the Mayor of Tuzla from the CHP in the 2024 local elections. While claims that Bingöl would switch to the AKP had been discussed in the public eye for some time, it also drew attention that the mayor shared a video targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM).

In the post in question, Bingöl argued that 50 thousand people in Tuzla were facing the risk of their homes being demolished, and stated, "We have made a great effort for two years so that the issue would not reach this point, but unfortunately we have not made any progress in solving the problem."

Following this statement, while criticism of Bingöl increased on social media, claims that he would leave his party and join the AKP came back to the agenda. According to information in the source, Bingöl has not provided a public response regarding the claims in question.

AKP CLAIM ALSO FOR İYİ PARTY MP

On the other hand, it was alleged that İYİ Party Gaziantep MP Mehmet Mustafa Gürban was also among the names claimed to be joining the AKP.

It was suggested that Gürban, who has been the subject of assessments that he would leave his party following his polemic with İYİ Party Spokesperson Buğra Kavuncu, is expected to resign from the İYİ Party today, join the AKP, and be pinned with a badge.

News Source: 12punto