Photos: AA
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Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mahsur Yavaş has today (May 26) responded to Sinan Oğan, the candidate who came third in the first round of the presidential election and declared support for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the runoff. Oğan had said during a TV program that he did not make any request for holding any office from either Erdoğan, or his rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu when taking a stand.
"No, Mr Oğan," said Yavaş.
"You did make a request to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for an office. You even told him, 'This needs to be declared to the public in order for me to be able to convince my voters, otherwise I cannot convince them.'
"We did not hear if you have or have not made any request from the People's Alliance. I do not know how you will convince your voters now."
What happened?
In a live broadcast program that he attended yesterday (May 25), Sinan Oğan talked about his talks with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, and said, "I did not have any requests from either Erdoğan or Kılıçdaroğlu. Of course, we talked over certain issues; they said we can give this or that. But I set forth my principles, we have set forth our principles."
"Kılıçdaroğlu was not able to present any convincing argument on how he will succeed in the elections," Oğan had added.
ABB Major Yavaş and İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu have been declared as the future vice-presidents if Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of the Nation Alliance is elected the president.
While no meeting between Sinan Oğan and Kılıçdaroğlu has been announced after the first round of the presidential election, there have been reports that the two met confidentially in CHP headquarters in Ankara.
(TY/PE)