Opposition claims to have edge in Ankara mayor’s race 

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavaş won the mayoral seat in Turkish capital Ankara by over 124,000 votes, claimed a party official on April 5, despite an appeal by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) against the results.

After recounts, the CHP’s Yavaş got 124,489 more votes than the AKP’s Mehmet Özhaseki, the opposition party’s provincial head Rıfkı Güvener said.

His statement followed remarks by an AKP official saying a recount had so far produced more votes for Özhaseki.

A recount in 12 out of Ankara’s 25 districts gave 1,805 more votes to Özhaseki, and 666 more for Yavaş, said Fatih Şahin, the AKP’s secretary general, on April 4.       

The AKP’s efforts to contest the results will continue, he said, as their requests for a recount were accepted in 13 districts, but denied in 12.       

According to unofficial results before the recount, Yavaş was leading with 50.91 percent of the vote, with Özhaseki at 47.15 percent.

Click here for local election results in Ankara according to Anadolu Agency