22.07.2026 17:30
Following Özgür Özel's announcement of leaving CHP and establishing a new party, Murat Ongun, advisor to the detained Ekrem İmamoğlu in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality case and Chairman of the Board of Media Inc., also resigned from CHP. In his resignation statement, Ongun said, "I haven't eaten donkey tongue to stay silent. I am resigning from my membership in this usurped party. I resign for the sake of my own honor, then for the honor of Ekrem İmamoğlu and millions of voters who cast their ballots."
Politics is abuzz after Özgür Özel announced he would leave the CHP to found the "New Party." Immediately following this development, Murat Ongun, advisor to the detained Ekrem İmamoğlu in the context of the İBB case and Chairman of the Board of Media A.Ş., announced he was parting ways with the CHP as well.
HARSH RESIGNATION STATEMENT FROM MURAT ONGUN
Murat Ongun, making harsh statements regarding his resignation, said: "I haven't eaten donkey's tongue that I should stay silent. I resign from my membership in this usurped party. I resign first for my own honor, then for the honor of Ekrem İmamoğlu and the millions of voters who cast their ballots." Ongun's move further inflamed the debates within the party.
"While writing this difficult resignation letter, Metin Altıok's verse lingers on my tongue. 'I am silent, and my heart grows moldy as I remain silent.' With this resignation letter, I wipe away the mold of my heart.
"I HAVEN'T EATEN DONKEY'S TONGUE THAT I SHOULD STAY SILENT"
I resign from my party membership and, with regret, send this resignation text to Turkey's most successful district organization.
Service to the CHP is not merely a matter of time, as some flaunt as a badge of honor. It is a matter of success. The successes that millions of CHP members have awaited for decades have been delivered by the Beylikdüzü CHP organization and its leader, Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu, to these party affiliates.
In light of this, in Ankara, a nullity spokesperson interpreted the obstruction of Mr. İmamoğlu's defense as 'He used his right to remain silent.' That same night, a fake trustee had his banner, hung at the Istanbul Provincial Headquarters, taken down under police supervision. These two attacks are vile and treacherous. This statement describes the perpetrators of this decision as well.
I haven't eaten donkey's tongue that I should stay silent. With this letter, I resign from my membership in this usurped party. I resign first for my own honor, then for the honor of Ekrem İmamoğlu and the millions of voters who cast their ballots. Hundreds of thousands of CHP members, I hope, will also protect their honor with the same reaction and put the impertinent usurpers in their place."