İmamoğlu: I Request My Mandate

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Ekrem İmamoğlu, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate for İstanbul, and the winner according to the unofficial results, has held a press conference.

He said, "I request our mandate in consideration of the hearts of 16 million people, this elections and the results the Supreme Election Council (YSK) announced. I call the YSK to duty."

"There are those who say, 'Turkey has a trustworthy election regulation," in the name of the government. There statements by the Presidential Spokesperson, the ministers. What happened and Turkey suddenly came to the point to say, 'the greatest blemish in the history of the Republic of Turkey?"

AKP Deputy Chair İhsan Yavuz claimed yesterday (April 2) that Turkey is witnessing the "greatest blemish in its history of democracy."

"Mistakes of course happen"

Accusing the AKP of "tarnishing the reputation of Turkey by acting like their toys are taken away from them," İmamoğlu asserted that whole world is watching the elections in İstanbul.

İmamoğlu also called President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ally Devlet Bahçeli, the chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) to take action.

As for the AKP's appeals against results, İmamoğlu said, "Maybe they are gaining time now. But İstanbul doesn't have a minute to lose."

"Don't mistakes happen in an election? Of course, they happen. Deficiencies, mistakes happen. There is no need for political shows.

"We have tens of them. In Bakırköy [district], CHP got 177 votes bu it was recorded as one vote. This is a document that is still not corrected.

"The YSK is the assurance of the process. We request that they don't act upon pressure." (AÖ/VK)