Özgür Özel makes statement on election results in Istanbul: 'We will win by a landslide'

Özel made statements regarding the CHP chairmanship election during the live broadcast. Stating, 'For the first time, an active change in leadership took place before the eyes of millions,' Özel spoke as follows:

It was a gain for democracy; we completed our change in a beautiful way.

They told me, 'Wait for the March 31 elections, the chairmanship will come to you anyway,' but I did not wait for such a thing.

When the polls we conducted in Izmir also showed that change was necessary by a very large margin, we took this path.

The party's polyphony can be perceived as chaos, but this is part of our party's culture.

I am satisfied with the point the process has reached; as we enter the final 10 days, I am happy with the change process we have experienced. I see that we have taken a very important step in the name of change. All candidacy methods were discussed and implemented within the CHP.

We are on a good path, but we are not in a perfect situation. From now on, we will not be the ones selecting mayoral candidates; we will be sending report cards to the mayors. 

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL EVALUATES THE 'MONEY COUNTING' FOOTAGE

When Sözcü columnist Deniz Zeyrek reminded him of the 'money counting' video and asked, "Why is Erdoğan using this video so effectively on a subject where everything is so clear, and why is the CHP not doing anything?" Özel gave the following response:

I don't think he has achieved such a thing; Tayyip Erdoğan is trying to gain the upper hand. A month and a half ago, I appeared before the voters and said, "Erdoğan wants to fight with me over different topics." I said, "I am ready to fight with him, but I will fight him for the retirees, for the farmers, for the hazelnut and citrus producers."

When I said this, people were asking, "Talk about the economy, why are you getting stuck on Tayyip Erdoğan's agenda?" You saw what happened to him in Samsun; he couldn't even fill a third of the square. I addressed the retirees and said, "If you fight with me, you will get your rights." We reached new people almost every day. We started to fill the squares that Tayyip Bey could not fill. 

I am doing the math in the squares, showing people that their purchasing power has dropped. 

Because I talk about retirees everywhere I go, the agenda has now turned to retirees.

- Regarding the question, "The people seen in the video did not come out to make a statement, and these questions keep circulating in people's minds. The public's agenda is still the empty pot, but this rhetoric did not work in the presidential election," Özel replied:

Let's call a spade a spade; for 11 months, the Table of Six talked about a consensus text and who the candidate would be, then there was talk of leaving the table, but the empty pot was not discussed.

The edited video left its mark on the last month. We had shortcomings in communication; we didn't do that this year. People associated our candidate with a terrorist organization; at that time, it was said that a positive campaign would defeat such edited videos, and our former chairman believed in those discourses at that time and continued in that way.

We are asking about this money counting incident and other negative news in the field, and the feedback I receive is that the pulse of the street is on the struggle to make a living.

It is understood that the footage is of the purchase of the provincial building, that it is the office of an AKP-affiliated lawyer, and we have filed an application for an investigation to be opened regarding that lawyer. 

Mr. Tayyip is trying to prevent an investigation from being opened so that he can use these images for political purposes.

There is not a single researcher who says it affects the election result; it is seen that this is an extremely legitimate transaction. 

WE WILL WIN BY A WIDE MARGIN IN ISTANBUL

For Istanbul, the polls we have in this election do not show a 0.1 percent difference like the last election; it ends with a wide margin. I think it will result in a margin similar to the one where Binali Yıldırım conceded the election results at 7:00 PM in the last election.

It would not be right to say the election is already over in Ankara, but the news coming in generally points to Mansur Yavaş achieving a result by widening the gap.

It appears we will win over 10 municipalities in Ankara. We are also very ambitious regarding the majority in the municipal council. We expect the people of Ankara to vote for the CHP in the council elections and ensure a majority in the council so that Mr. Mansur can serve Ankara more effectively. We are making the same call for Istanbul.

STATEMENT ON HATAY AND LÜTFÜ SAVAŞ

-The decision regarding Lütfü Savaş was very difficult to make, but we see that our candidate has moved to the forefront in the polls we have conducted recently and following the developments involving Gökhan Zan.

Let them vote for the CHP; if there are criticisms directed at Lütfü Savaş, let Mr. Lütfü make his own self-criticism, but it would be very sad for the AKP to win there at this point.

I believe in the discernment of the people of Hatay. I see that a team spirit is succeeding in convincing the voters there. 

"GÖKHAN ZAN MADE DEMANDS OF US"

The friend who was made a candidate by the TİP during that process was previously with the İYİ Party. Then he came to us and first requested the Metropolitan Municipality, then Defne, and if not that, Arsuz. He said, 'I get along very well with brother Lütfü.'

Afterward, he organized the protests on February 6th. I saw this with my own eyes. He had taken a group and was in a strange state. I understood what was happening only later, and I wondered why a person would get into such a state. 

For example, you might do it because you are in great pain, and one could understand that, but on the first anniversary of the earthquake disaster, an AK Party minister is being protested in the area (which I also found shameful), and people are rebelling very rightfully, but for him to direct those people to follow us, to follow Ekrem İmamoğlu, to follow Lütfü Savaş... 

They were already saying, 'Ask the people of Hatay about that.' It emerged later on.

BALLOT BOX SECURITY

We have no issues with ballot box security in Istanbul. We also have no issues across Turkey. Local elections are easier for our party regarding ballot box security compared to general elections. This is because our party is strong where we are competitive. Beyond the organization, the candidates are also in the field. All our preparations are complete. The ruling wing is capable of anything. They are capable of stooping to such things.

News Source: 12punto