▁the ▁local ▁municipal ities ▁that ▁had ▁end ors ed ▁the ▁A K P ▁had ▁said ▁' yes ' ▁to ▁service ▁and ▁good ▁govern ance . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁following ▁Ah met ▁Dav uto ğ lu ' s ▁res ignation ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁his ▁mayor al ▁rival ▁and ▁successful ▁oppon ent ▁Az iz ▁K oc ao ğ lu ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁preferred ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁as ▁Dav uto ğ lu ' s ▁successor ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁t ies ▁with ▁ İ z mir . ▁ ▁Pot ential ▁A K P ▁leadership ▁b ids ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁was ▁frequently ▁observed ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁cont ender ▁for ▁the ▁Justice ▁and ▁Development ▁Party ▁leadership ▁during ▁Dav uto ğ lu ' s ▁premi ership , ▁especially ▁at ▁times ▁when ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁Dav uto ğ lu ▁and ▁Er do ğ an ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁fal ter ing . ▁The ▁most ▁serious ▁challenge ▁from ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁came ▁during ▁the ▁A K P ▁Ord inary ▁Congress ▁held ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁where ▁an ▁apparent ▁disag re ement ▁between ▁Dav uto ğ lu ▁and ▁Er do ğ an ▁over ▁the ▁central ▁executive ▁committee ▁candidate ▁lists ▁caused ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁to ▁begin ▁collect ing ▁delegate ▁sign atures ▁for ▁a ▁potential ▁leadership ▁bid . ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁stopped ▁collect ing ▁sign atures ▁at ▁the ▁last ▁minute ▁when ▁a ▁deal ▁between ▁Dav uto ğ lu