Kılıçdaroğlu's former advisor becomes IYI Party's Ankara candidate!

Turkey will head to the polls for local elections on March 31, 2024.

In the IYI Party, which decided to enter the local elections 'free and independent' after rejecting the CHP's cooperation proposal, candidate selection efforts continue.

It is being watched with curiosity which names IYI Party leader Meral Akşener will field against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş, whom she had pointed to as presidential candidates during the crisis process within the Table of Six before the presidential elections.

Sözcü columnist İsmail Saymaz has provided a surprise name regarding the candidacy that the IYI Party will put forward in Ankara.

"HE WAS KILIÇDAROĞLU'S ADVISOR"

Saymaz reported that IYI Party Chair Meral Akşener has decided on the name Cengiz Topel Yıldırım for the Ankara candidacy. Pointing to Wednesday as the date for the announcement of the candidate, Saymaz noted that Yıldırım had served as an advisor to former CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for a period.

The IYI Party's Ankara Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate is Cengiz Topel Yıldırım.
Yıldırım's candidacy will be announced on Wednesday.
Former Ankaragücü President Yıldırım was Kılıçdaroğlu's advisor.
Yıldırım's name had been mentioned for the CHP's Ankara candidacy in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

— İsmail Saymaz (@ismailsaymaz) January 22, 2024

In his statement, İsmail Saymaz expressed the following:

"The IYI Party's Ankara Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate is Cengiz Topel Yıldırım. Yıldırım's candidacy will be announced on Wednesday.

Former Ankaragücü President Yıldırım was Kılıçdaroğlu's advisor. Yıldırım's name had been mentioned for the CHP's Ankara candidacy in the 2014 and 2019 elections."

STATEMENT FROM IYI PARTY ON ANKARA CANDIDATE

On the other hand, IYI Party Spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu had said the following regarding the candidate selection process at a press conference held at the party headquarters;

"So far, we have announced our candidates in 12 metropolitan municipalities, 17 provinces, 175 districts, and 20 towns. After our decision to enter alone, the ice has been broken, and the path has been cleared. We now see that the way for the IYI Party has been opened and that our nation, feeling this determination of ours, is moving forward with us in this struggle. As for Ankara and Istanbul; the final stage has been reached. The work is almost complete. First of all, within a very short time, within days, we will present our Ankara candidate to the appreciation of our nation. Then we will announce our Istanbul candidate."

News Source: 12punto