Mansur Yavaş spoke about his presidential candidacy!

Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş visited journalist Fatih Altaylı yesterday in Silivri, where he is being held. Recounting their conversations with Yavaş about his presidential candidacy, Altaylı said Yavaş said, "Whoever can save me, can save me. There's no one like me, you, or him. Ekrem can be President. Mr. Özgür is shining, he can be. I can be. One of us can do it, so whoever can."

Journalist Fatih Altaylı recounted his meeting with Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who visited presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is imprisoned in Silivri Prison.

Altaylı stated that the meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere and that Yavaş used clear expressions regarding the candidacy discussions.

Mansur Yavaş's meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu: I did not deny it

Fatih Altaylı reminded Yavaş of the statement he had previously made: “Mansur Yavaş told Kılıçdaroğlu, ‘If you nominate me for president, I will not accept and will resign.’” Yavaş explained this claim as follows:

"I didn't deny it. I just didn't use those words. I didn't say this directly to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, but to make sure those around him heard. Some people in Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's inner circle were saying childish things like, 'Kemal Bey will immediately announce Mansur Bey's candidacy when he becomes party chairman,' and the rumors were spreading. I made that statement to silence them."

"I wouldn't do this while President Ekrem is in prison"

Altaylı also asked Mansur Yavaş about his stance on his presidential candidacy and said he received a clear answer. Yavaş made the following remarks regarding his candidacy:

"It would be shameful and rude for me to even mention candidacy while President Ekrem is in this situation. I would never do such a thing. Currently, the candidate of the party, of our party, of all of us, is Ekrem İmamoğlu. While he and our other presidents are imprisoned in Silivri as a result of such injustice and unlawfulness, I will never utter the word candidacy."

"Is this the law? There is no such law of threats or blackmail."

Mansur Yavaş also harshly criticized the arrests targeting CHP municipalities:

They're slandering honorable, honorable, and dignified people. No one's saying don't prosecute them, but what's the point of detention? Where has this been seen? The slanderer's slander is valid, but the defense's defense is invalid. Is this the law? There's no such thing as a law of threats and blackmail. Municipalities always report things like this. Those who lose a tender or whose business is failing report them. I took office in 2019. A report came in. They said they built a door I was supposed to build for 50,000 for 200,000. We said we'd caught them. They turned out to be liars. It happens all the time. There were 109 complaints against us. Inspectors came. The investigations for 101 were completed, and we were cleared. 8 are ongoing. We'll be cleared for that one too. Investigate, investigate. No one's saying investigate, but can arrests be made? CHP municipalities aren't afraid of inspections. We're constantly under scrutiny anyway.

“The rallies are very important and must continue.”

Mansur Yavaş also supported the rallies organized by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel against the arrests:

"It must continue, it must continue uninterrupted. If the government is so bothered by this, then we're doing the right thing. I think it's created a great atmosphere. Citizens who are afraid and silent, but who are rebelling inside, come there and see someone saying what they want to say. Even if they're not shouting, they're nodding their heads. Rallies are very effective and very important."

“CHP is not making mistakes anymore”

Asked how he, as a politician from the right, assessed the transformation within the CHP, Mansur Yavaş made the following assessment:

The CHP is no longer making mistakes when it comes to religion. Neither the presidents, nor the members of parliament, nor the conservative voters have seen and understood that voting for the CHP will not lead them to hell. This will, and is, increasing the votes for the CHP.

Yavaş puts the final word on his presidential candidacy

Returning to the topic of his presidential candidacy, Altaylı brought up Mansur Yavaş's unclear stance. Yavaş made the following statement:

"Mr. Fatih, I say, let him do it, no matter who does it. The important thing is to be free. We need to get rid of this mentality for our children, our grandchildren, for the youth. Whoever can save him can do it. Me, you, this water, this water, that water, that water, that water, that water. Ekrem can be President. Mr. Özgür is shining now, it can be. I can be. Let one of us do it, no matter who does it."

“We are both far ahead of Mr. Tayyip.”

Finally, when asked whether his own popularity was falling, he gave the following answer:

"I swear, I'm not commissioning any polls. But I saw the Metropol poll. Its owner doesn't like me, and I don't like its owner. I have 60% support there. Mr. Ekrem is just a notch below. We're both far ahead of Mr. Tayyip. But I won't discuss these matters while President Ekrem is in jail."