Another resignation from IYI Party! 'The party has become an association for those who love Meral Akşener'

Lawyer Çağdaş Çelik, who has served as the IYI Party Youth Branch Eskişehir Provincial President, member of the Youth Branch General Administrative Board, regional coordinator, parliamentary candidate for Ağrı, and member of the Central Disciplinary Board, has announced his resignation.

I submit this to the public conscience with my respects. pic.twitter.com/2VHr4o1Iah

— Çağdaş Çelik (@cagdasscelik) November 20, 2023

“LOYALTY, NOT MERIT”

In his statement on social media, Çelik included the following remarks:

The IYI Party, of which I was a founding member, has unfortunately drifted away from its founding principles and goals, taking on a picture where its corporate identity has been surrendered to bilateral relations. The management mechanisms of our party, which aspires to power and promises to govern the country with its projects and strategies, have adopted an attitude based on loyalty rather than merit, and a deadlock has been created where even criticism is not accepted by blocking intra-party democracy and consultation.

“THIS POINT WAS NOT REACHED IN A DAY”

I would like to state with regret that this point was not reached in a day. Systemic problems that have been ongoing for a long time and which we hoped would be repaired have been constantly swept under the rug, and instead of being eliminated, they have been carried to a point that is now intolerable. The attitude adopted in the local government elections without conducting a self-criticism of the path followed in the presidential election suggests that our party has moved away from its goals and adopted a comfortable opposition.

The reason why the crises and pains experienced today have come to the fore is that the party management thinks Turkey consists only of Istanbul and Ankara and has structured the party management based only on these cities. Furthermore, it is the path followed in the candidate determination processes for the local government elections without relying on any mathematical or social data and without evaluating the realities.

REACTION TO THE DECISION TO FIELD CANDIDATES

Indeed, the candidate determination process in Eskişehir, the apple of my eye, has proven my words to the entire public. It is worth repeating that the nomination of a Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate who does not live in the city, without relying on any mathematical or sociological data, is only the part of these issues that has come to light. Candidate determination processes in our party are no longer carried out according to scientific and sociological data, but through so-called loyalty (!) and bilateral relations. It is a pity that, at the point reached, the IYI Party, which we founded with great hopes and efforts, has become more of an association for those who love Meral Akşener, managed by bilateral relations revolving in front of the Chairwoman's door, rather than a political party.

As our party has moved away from its goal of power and its founding principles, the suspicion that the candidate determination processes under the name of being 'free and independent' are indicative of secret alliances to be made with the CHP has intensified. As a soldier who has fought in this party for years, paid material and moral prices to wave the party flag in every corner of the country, and had no expectations for the struggle he gave, even the slightest criticism we made on this subject was not taken seriously; in fact, every method was tried to use the results of our criticisms against us.

ALLEGATIONS OF MOBBING

The efforts of those close to the Chairwoman and those close to that person to ostracize us by ignoring party institutions and boards, while sidelining those who have put effort into the party, were the final straw. Especially after the resignation of our Eskişehir Deputy Nebi Hatipoğlu, this mobbing process deemed appropriate for me accelerated, and even personal relationships and 'likes' on social media accounts were attempted to be used as a tool of threat.

Some rumors were fabricated through my family members who have different political views, and an unpleasant labeling attempt was initiated. By claiming that everyone who leaves is guilty, our party continues to ignore that it is rapidly losing its existing members by blocking intra-party democracy and consultation, just as it will not get anywhere without asking the question 'why'. It is a difficult situation to endure that those who have newly joined the struggle in our party, which we carried on our backs in the most deprived and difficult times before it was even a party, show us the door and derive this power from in front of the Chairwoman's office, and doing what is necessary has become a duty for me.

“I WILL NOT WEAR ANOTHER PARTY'S BADGE”

It is clear that there is no longer any possibility of struggling, merit, or healing some wounds over time in the IYI Party. In light of these reasons, I would like to announce to the entire public that I have resigned from the IYI Party, where I served with great devotion at almost every level, including Youth Branch Eskişehir Provincial Presidency, Youth Branch General Administrative Board membership, regional coordination, Ağrı parliamentary candidacy, and Central Disciplinary Board membership. I thank my fellow travelers, my valuable elders, and my siblings with whom I worked during my tenure, and I forgive my rights if I have any. I hope that everyone who has rights over me will forgive theirs.

As Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said; as a Turkish youth who draws the strength he needs from the noble blood in his veins, I will walk the path I believe in and adopt, even if I have to walk alone. In order not to leave room for any discussion, I would like to state that I am putting a comma in my active political life for now and that I will not wear any other political party badge after my resignation.”

News Source: 12punto