CHP calls on all citizens to vote in presidential primaries on March 23

ISTANBUL

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has called on all citizens to vote in the primaries to be held on March 23 to select the main opposition’s presidential nominee after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained over alleged corruption and terror links.

“I invite 86 million people [of Türkiye] to object, raise their voices, make themselves heard and stand up,” Özel said in an address to a crowd gathered in front of the Istanbul Municipality late on March 19 in reaction to the detention of İmamoğlu and more than 100 others.

Özel, accompanied with İmamoğlu’s spouse Dilek İmamoğlu and former CHP chairmen, delivered a lengthy speech to criticize the government’s role in the detention of Istanbul Mayor while vowing the CHP’s determination in not stepping back.

“Millions of us will be on the streets and will cast our votes on Sunday,” Özel said, referring to the primaries for the nomination of the main opposition’s presidential candidate. Ekrem İmamoğlu was the sole candidate in the primaries.

Özel called on everyone to come to vote on March 23 although they are not the CHP members. “There will be two ballot boxes: One for the CHP members and the other one for those who want to demonstrate solidarity with our next president, Ekrem İmamoğlu,” Özel stated.

Nobody should get confused, the CHP chairman said, describing the detention of İmamoğlu as a civilian coup. “This is a coup attempt. What happened on March 19 was a coup attempt. The people’s will is being usurped through a judicial move,” he said.

İmamoğlu was elected to the office for three times, Özel said, denying claims of corruption and terror links.

In the meantime, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who was abroad on the day İmamoğlu was detained, returned Istanbul on early March 20. He visited Dilek İmamoğlu and later went to the Istanbul Municipality to hold a meeting with Özgür Özel.

“We will all go and vote together on Sunday,” Yavaş said, expressing his support for İmamoğlu.