İmamoğlu: I Hope Supreme Election Council Will Do What Law Requires

* Photograph: İslam Yakut – İstanbul / AA

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Ekrem İmamoğlu, the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and İYİ Party for the Metropolitan Mayorship of İstanbul, has made a statement for the 11th time since yesterday.

Speaking in a TV program at 8.15 a.m. today (April 1), İmamoğlu has stated that they have won the Metropolitan Mayorship of İstanbul.

To the question "Who has become the Metropolitan Mayor of İstanbul?", İmamoğlu has answered, 

"Mr. İsmail [anchor of Fox TV], he is standing right before you. According to our data, the difference between us is 26 thousand 558. Moreover, the 99.64 percent of the data of Supreme Election Council (YSK) has been entered. According to their data, the difference is 27 thousand 371."

İmamoğlu has also said, "The judiciary, the YSK is very important. I did not see a move of the YSK that could be criticized. I hope that they will do what the law requires today and later."

Criminal complaint to be filed against banners

Stating that "They will invite us and we receive our certificate of election in a few days," İmamoğlu has also referred to the "Thanks İstanbul" banners of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) hung all over the city.

İmamoğlu has announced that they will file a criminal complaint regarding the banners. Addressing Binali Yıldırım, the candidate of the ruling AKP and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), İmamoğlu has said:

"The manipulation is now being done with the hands of Metropolitan Municipality of İstanbul. The banner operation in the middle of the night is just an attempt to create a perception.

"I am condemning this and recommending Mr. Binali Yıldırım not to sacrifice himself to this manipulation."

AKP: We win the election in İstanbul

Making a statement early in the morning today, AKP İstanbul Provincial Chair Bayram Şenocak has stated that Binali Yıldırım has won the elections in İstanbul. Şenocak has said,

"There are over 290 thousand invalid votes. The majority of invalid votes are in the districts where we lead. According to the data entry that we did, we have won the election in İstanbul with a margin of 3 thousand 870 votes."

State-run agency: Invalid votes will be counted

The state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) has also alleged that "the votes registered as invalid in İstanbul, Ankara and Iğdır will be counted again upon the objections made to the provincial and district election councils."

According to the AA, while 8 million 731 thousand 330 registered voters out of 10 million 570 thousand 939 cast votes in İstanbul, 290 thousand 394 of these votes have been deemed invalid.

CLICK - DHA: İmamoğlu Leads in İstanbul According to Supreme Election Council

(AS/SD)