Inside Scoop: 'İmamoğlu has made contact with the Palace!' Meeting reportedly held with Erdoğan's knowledge and approval: What was asked of İmamoğlu?

Journalist and author Sabahattin Önkibar shared a significant claim on his personal YouTube channel. Önkibar alleged that Hasan İmamoğlu, the father of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, has established contact with the "palace wing."

In his statement, Önkibar said, "Ekrem İmamoğlu's father, Hasan İmamoğlu, held a meeting in Istanbul with one of the important names of the palace, namely Hayati Yazıcı."

Providing details about the content and purpose of the meeting, Sabahattin Önkibar stated:

Ekrem İmamoğlu's father, Hasan İmamoğlu, is a well-known and recognized figure in the public eye. He served as the deputy provincial chairman of the Motherland Party (ANAP) in Trabzon for a period. Hasan Bey, who is a builder and businessman, was brought together a few days ago in an office in Istanbul with an important figure from the government and the palace.

He met with Hayati Yazıcı, Erdoğan's former lawyer, former minister, AKP deputy, and furthermore, his confidant and very close friend. Hayati Bey was also a member of the Motherland Party before the AKP and is also from Rize. The meeting in question was organized by a famous contractor from the Black Sea region who is close to the palace and also has a friendship with Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The meeting was held with the knowledge and approval of Tayyip Erdoğan. Was Ekrem İmamoğlu aware of this meeting beforehand? That is uncertain. So, what was discussed and was a decision reached? No. As of now, there is no result. While some interpret the incident as an attempt by intermediaries to find a middle ground, others say it was the palace making an offer.

According to what was conveyed to me, the contractor from the Black Sea region proposed to Hasan İmamoğlu that Tayyip Bey remain in his position for one more term as president, and then we continue with Ekrem Bey. Hasan İmamoğlu only listened. It is probable that he will take the matter to his son in Silivri. Hayati Yazıcı, for his part, supported the offer made. The intermediary businessman also presented concrete proposals for the agreement and process in question.

The first condition was for Ekrem İmamoğlu to support the new constitution from prison. It was said that if Ekrem Bey declares his support by saying this constitution is very necessary for Turkey, the resistance of the Republican People's Party (CHP) will be broken and they will sit at the constitutional table. In this way, the climate would suddenly reverse and there would be successive releases, it was claimed. Of course, I cannot legally prove this meeting I am relaying. However, my source is solid. If you ask where this will evolve and whether a result will emerge, it is impossible.

Firstly, such promises have no validity in politics. If they did, Deniz Baykal would have been made president based on the promise given in 2007. Ekrem İmamoğlu undoubtedly knows this as well. Furthermore, for İmamoğlu to reconcile with Tayyip Erdoğan would mean his political end. Even if the reconciliation is indirect—packaged as the constitution and Turkey—the public will not swallow it. In such a situation, İmamoğlu would be politically dead and Özgür Özel would take his place. In this respect, this attempt goes no further than being a fantasy of the palace. What this event reveals is the palace's determination and the fact that it is in a difficult position.