[rogue yam]

This is strange. What did the ruling party say?

"OK, you caught us. Here ya go."

"Well, fine! Nobody ever said DON'T steal the election!"

"Kidding! We were just KIDDING! Jeeze, can't anybody around here take a joke?"

etc...

[Zack Nguyen]

LOL.

[JasonC]

Understand, the ruling party is involved in a transition of its own. The outgoing prez is not standing for re-election. It was his successor that was in the running, and who just stepped aside. He did so after the incumbent called for talks. Meaning, the guy presently in actual control of the government, was not backing to the hilt, the guy set to take over his party from him. The sitting (outgoing) prez played referee rather than partisan, in other words.