İmamoğlu: We Receive Reports That Files are Carried off from Municipality

* Photograph: Orhan Akkanat / AA

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Ekrem İmamoğlu, the candidate of Republican People's Party (CHP) and İYİ Party for Metropolitan Mayorship of İstanbul, has spoken to journalists. Addressing the press on his way from İstanbul to Ankara, İmamoğlu has stated that they are receiving several reports indicating that files are being carried off from the municipality.

Underlining that they have evidence supporting these allegations, İmamoğlu has said that they will share the evidence with the public.

After a journalist has asked, "What will you do if a contrary situation arises in ballot boxes?," he has answered, "No contrary situation will develop, I trust the Supreme Election Council (YSK). It will not let us be mistaken."

İmamoğlu has continued as follows: "If I see that I lose, I will extend my best wishes to my rival. All minutes with wet signature are in our hands, they have all been analyzed. All simulations have been practiced. Let the homeland not lose, let the city not lose; what it means to lose... We will reconcile this nation in İstanbul, the nation is overwhelmed."

After visiting the Tomb of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Ankara, İmamoğlu will meet CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener.

Here are some of the highlights from İmamoğlu's speech:

'AA has a single source: AKP officials'

"The alliance of İstanbul has won, 16 million people have won. [Referring to the 'Thank you İstanbul' banners of the ruling AKP] They are still hanging banners. The only institution that I trust right now is the YSK. The YSK has already made a statement and announced that it has no links or information flow with Anadolu Agency. That being the case, there is one source left for the AA: Ballot box observers and polling clerks of AK Party.

"Conscientiously speaking, I do not trust [Binali] Yıldırım any longer. It is very unfortunate if he is still making statements on social media."

"Bahçeli and President should follow this process"

Making a call to Chair of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli, İmamoğlu has said, "As a person with so much civil service experience, he should not be indifferent to this process and should closely follow it."

İmamoğlu has also addressed President and AKP Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: "Dear President should also not be indifferent to this process so that we will not disgrace ourselves before the world, so that we will not provide an example of bad democracy that would be regretfully condemned by the world. Two institutions and people are important right now."

'Director General of AA should go and do politics'

Concluding his remarks, İmamoğlu has also referred to the allegations regarding files being carried off from the Metropolitan Municipality:

"People are carrying off files from the municipality. We are receiving several reports for two days: There are those carrying off files, the ones tidying up their rooms... What is going on, my friend? But, I will call them to account even for a single penny of İstanbulites.

"And the laborers of the municipality should not pay heed to these orders, either. They should ignore them. They should also ignore someone appointed by my order."

Being asked about the details of the allegations, he has answered, "What I am saying is that we are receiving several reports, I will announce them if there is evidence. I am calling the officers of the state to do their duty."

İmamoğlu has also said, "As for Anadolu Agency, I am thinking nothing of it any more. They should not take my money and the money of 82 million people and put it into their pockets. And as for its director general... He should go and do politics." (AS/SD)