HÜDA PAR Chairman Yapıcıoğlu emphasizes unity and respect for voters' choices
Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, the Chairman of HÜDA PAR (Free Cause Party), stated that they have never regarded anyone as an enemy based on their political preferences, and they will continue to hold that stance.
Yapıcıoğlu held a series of meetings in Bursa as part of the second round of presidential election campaigns. During his visit, he met with officials, members, and volunteers of Muş Province Culture, Education, Development, Social Solidarity, and Assistance Association (Muş İlder) located in Nilüfer.
During the well-attended meeting, Muş İlder President Mehmet Akif Bingöl delivered a speech, providing an overview of their organization's activities. He expressed gratitude to Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, the Chairman of HUDA PAR, for attending the meeting.
“We have never considered anyone as the other or viewed them with enmity or treachery due to their preferences”
Emphasizing the importance of Türkiye’s presidential run-off election that will be held on May 28, Yapıcıoğlu stated: “Wherever we go, we ask our brothers, fellow citizens, and citizens to vote for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the run-off, to vote for stability and trust. Hopefully, our country will experience better service for the next 5 years. This is our view. Of course, there are brothers who think differently. From the beginning, we have been saying, 'The parties going into the election are not our enemies but our political rivals.' We have repeatedly called for 'We are going into the election, not into war.' This statement of ours has also been expressed by other party leaders later on. However, unfortunately, the politics of demonization, fearmongering, and polarization continues in these elections, albeit a little more harshly compared to the previous ones. We have seen this as a mistake, we see it as a mistake, and with the permission of Allah, we will not engage in that kind of politics or discourse in the future. We did not see it as right, and we will not see it as right in the future. We are still standing where we are. Political parties are each other's rivals, not enemies. Therefore, I want to build upon what I have just said. We have never considered any of our brothers who have voted for this or that candidate as the other or viewed them with enmity or treachery, and we will not do so in the future. Regardless of who leads in the second round of the election, everyone should accept this outcome and internalize that the elected person will be the president of the entire country, not just the president of their own party or those who voted for them. We need to know this, construct our sentences accordingly, and take our steps accordingly.”
Drawing upon Bediüzzaman Said Nursi's words, ‘I do not strike Enver with Antranik's hand, nor do I strike Said Halim with Venizelos's hand; in my sight, the one who strikes is also wretched’, Yapıcıoğlu continued his address by stating: “If our government makes a mistake, we will hold them accountable. We categorically refuse to attack Erdogan through Biden's wordsbursa or target Kılıçdaroğlu with Macron's maneuvers. We will not allow Putin to strike Bahçeli, Akşener, or any others. We are capable of resolving our own issues internally. While we may have differing opinions on certain matters and engage in passionate debates, when external forces attempt to meddle in our affairs, we unite and retaliate. Therefore, we assert that the upcoming election is an opportunity to assert our independence against those seeking to interfere from outside.”
"We hope that the citizens' choices will be reflected in the ballot box," emphasized Yapıcıoğlu, while also highlighting that they do not marginalize anyone based on their political preferences.
He stated: “Those who vote differently from us are still our brothers and sisters. No one is our enemy. We will not alienate or demonize anyone. To those brothers and sisters, we say, reconsider your decision. However, we are not supporters of changing someone's decision through manipulation, pressure, threats, or coercion of their will. We want the citizens to make their decisions based on their own free will, but we also try to explain our known truths without deceiving or distorting, without treating people as fools. It would be great if our rivals also acted in this way, and if all our citizens freely expressed their will at the ballot box, so that whatever is reflected in the ballot box comes out as it is.” (ILKHA)