Party, Has Confirmed Reports That President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Crossed His Name Off a List at the Request of Former İYİ Party Leader Meral

Dikbayır made the statement on his social media account. "On August 14, a possible participation was discussed, Dikbayır said. He recounted that AKP Konya deputy Ünal Karaman contacted him, saying the president had an invitation and wanted to meet with him.

"During the meeting with the president, he expressed his opinion and invitation for me to join the AKP. I told him, 'This is not a decision I can make alone and all at once, Mr. President. I said I needed to talk to my family and consult with my colleagues and team I have worked with for years.

If the mutual evaluations were positive, a participation on August 14 was discussed, he said. Dikbayır added, Some information has also reached me that the chairperson of a political party I previously worked with objected to my joining the AKP after meeting with the president, and that the process ended for this reason. Dikbayır entered parliament from the İYİ Party in the May 14, 2023 elections.

During the following period, he was expelled from the party by then-İYİ Party chair Meral Akşener and later joined the CHP. After a court's 'absolute nullity' ruling, Dikbayır announced his support for Özgür Özel and resigned from the CHP. In a statement to Sözcü TV program host Serap Belovacıklı, he had announced he would switch to the AKP on August 14.