İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener announced that Cengiz Topel Yıldırım is her party's candidate for Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB).
Stating that the party leadership personally offered the candidacy to Yıldırım, Akşener said that 'good municipalism' would be implemented during the Yıldırım era.
Yıldırım, who was invited to the podium by Akşener, claimed in his first statement that there is a visionless and sub-par approach to municipalism in Ankara. Arguing that Ankara has not been managed well for 5 years, Topel noted that he believes this situation will change as of the morning of April 1.
Topel stated the following in summary:
"It is a great honor for me to be deemed worthy of candidacy for Ankara in the 100th year of our Republic. Ankara is not where it deserves to be. Having been the capital for a full century, Ankara has failed to fulfill its potential. Ankara, which should be known for its employment opportunities, has become a city of stagnation. When we look at the last 30 years, Ankara has been wasted. When we look at the last five years, Ankara has been relegated to a retired capital. We represent a management approach against a visionless and sub-par municipalism that cannot keep up with the rapidly developing world."
Yıldırım's name had been discussed in political circles during the 2019 local elections before Mansur Yavaş's candidacy was finalized. Yıldırım had served as the chief advisor to former CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu since 2016.
In her statement at the group meeting today, Akşener had also announced that her party's candidate for Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is Organization Chair Buğra Kavuncu, and the candidate for Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality is Balıkesir Deputy Turhan Çömez.
News Source: 12punto
