Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s first woman president by a landslide Sunday, preliminary official results showed, making history in a country plagued by rampant criminal and gender-based violence.

Crowds of flag-waving supporters sang and danced to mariachi music in Mexico City’s main square celebrating the ruling party candidate’s victory.

The 61-year-old former Mexico City mayor, a scientist by training, won around 58-60 percent of votes, the National Electoral Institute announced after a quick count.

That was more than 30 percentage points ahead of her main opposition rival Xochitl Galvez, and some 50 percentage points ahead of the only man running, long-shot centrist Jorge Alvarez Maynez.

Voters had flocked to polling stations across the Latin American nation, despite sporadic violence in areas terrorized by ultra-violent drug cartels.

Thousands of troops were deployed to protect voters, following a particularly bloody electoral process that has seen more than two dozen aspiring local politicians murdered.

Earlier, Sheinbaum hailed what she called a “historic” election day.

After casting her ballot, she revealed she had not voted for herself but for a 93-year-old veteran leftist, Ifigenia Martinez, in recognition of her struggle.

“Long live democracy!” Sheinbaum declared.

After the polls closed, Galvez urged her followers to closely monitor the count.

“We are competing against authoritarianism and power and they are capable of anything,” said the 61-year-old senator and businesswoman with Indigenous roots.

– ‘Transformation’ –

Mexican women going to the polls had cheered the prospect of a woman breaking the highest political glass ceiling in a country where around 10 women or girls are murdered every day.

“A female president will be a transformation for this country, and we hope that she does more for women,” said Clemencia Hernandez, a 55-year-old cleaner in Mexico City.

“Many women are subjugated by their partners. They’re not allowed to leave home to work,” she said.

Daniela Perez, 30, said that having a woman president would be “something historic,” even though neither of the two main candidates was “totally feminist” in her view.

“We’ll have to see their positions on improving women’s rights, resolving the issue of femicides — which have gone crazy — supporting women more,” added the logistics company manager.

Nearly 100 million people were registered to vote in the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking country, home to 129 million people.

Sheinbaum owes much of her popularity to outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a fellow leftist and mentor who has an approval rating of more than 60 percent but is only allowed to serve one term.

Reina Balbuena, a 50-year-old street food seller, said she voted for Sheinbaum because the ruling Morena party “has given a lot of support to older adults, to children.”

– ‘Hugs not bullets’ –

In a nation where politics, crime and corruption are closely entangled, drug cartels went to extreme lengths to ensure that their preferred candidates win.

Hours before polls opened, a local candidate was murdered in a violent western state, authorities said, joining at least 25 other political hopefuls killed this election season, according to official figures.

In the central Mexican state of Puebla, two people died after unknown persons attacked polling stations to steal papers, a local government security source told AFP.

Voting was suspended in two municipalities in the southern state of Chiapas because of violence.

Sheinbaum has pledged to continue the outgoing president’s controversial “hugs not bullets” strategy of tackling crime at its roots.

Galvez vowed a tougher approach to cartel-related violence, declaring “hugs for criminals are over.”

More than 450,000 people have been murdered and tens of thousands have gone missing since the government deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006.

The next president will also have to manage delicate relations with the neighboring United States, in particular the vexed issues of cross-border drug smuggling and migration.

As well as choosing a new president, Mexicans voted for members of Congress, several state governors and myriad local officials — a total of more than 20,000 positions.

– AFP

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has explained the strategy for developing all towns and cities across the state without leaving rural areas out.

Senator Adeleke said the strategy was adopted with a view to ensuring that the development agenda of his administration cuts across all the local government areas within the state.

The Governor said he made up his mind to ensure that no part of the state is left out in the scheme of development as every town and village deserve to be developed.

The State Governor explained this while receiving members of Inisa traditional council led by the Olunisa of Inisa in Odo Otin Local Government, Oba Joseph Oladunjoye Oyedele Fasikun II who came to pay solidarity visit on him in the Government House, Oke Fia, Osogbo.

“This administration is for all for all, from East to West, from North to South. We are spreading governance without discriminating on a political or religious basis.

“We are the truly progressive leadership as we satisfy and respond to the needs and aspirations of the people. We are the real Awoists as we meet our people at the point of their needs. I wake up and go to sleep with passion to make life better and good for our people.

“I learnt a lot from my late father, Senator Ayoola Adeleke, the most important being that leadership must have the people as the main focus. That lesson was not lost on me and my late brother, the first Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke.

“That was why from day one of my assumption of office, my goal was to render selfless service to the people. Within one and half years, I have recorded commendable milestones.

“It is born out of my resolve to revamp the agriculture and food production that made me announce the immediate reconstruction of Oree/Agbeye road so that our people in that axis will be able to commute and transport goods especially agricultural products from one area to another”, the Governor explained.

Senator Adeleke while highlighting some of his achievements in the area of road infrastructure said the construction of Osogbo to Ikirun road which was initiated by the APC administration was in a bid to reduce road accidents and guarantee free flow of traffic along the axis.

He said the ongoing repair of primary health care centres was in fulfillment of his health improvement agenda.

He said the Imole Free Medical and Surgical Outreach programme has benefited about 50,000 residents who were suffering from different diseases like cataracts, diabetes, lumps, appendicitis, hernia and so on.

Senator Adeleke told the traditional council that he has continued to invest in education by building and renovating blocks of classrooms, recruitment, training and promotion of teachers as well as distribution of instructional and writing materials to students across the State.

“Our administration has just concluded training for our teachers so that we can improve their capacity to impact knowledge on our children”.

Earlier in his address, the Olunisa of Inisa, Oba Joseph Oladunjoye Oyedele Fasikun II said the council was in the Government House to appreciate the Governor for wonderful job across the State.

Oba Oyedele who assured Senator Adeleke that the entire people of the town are solidly behind him described the information being spread around that Chief Shuaib Oyedokun led thousands of Inisa indigenes to the APC as mere rumours saying that Inisa traditional council is convinced that the PDP administration meant well for the State.

Oba Oyedele was accompanied by Chief Nathaniel Ìdòwú (Baale Ode Inisa), Chief Adetoyi Abimbola Ganiyu (Ọtun Ilu of Inisa), Chief Omotosho Ademola Tajudeen(Jagun of Inisaland), Chief Radius Ajibade (Baale Oke Omo, Inisa and Secretary of Inisa Council), Chief Adebimpe Jimoh( Akogun of Inisa) and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party from Inisa, Aremo Adekunle Alao.

History was made in Nigeria today as the National Assembly, led by President Tinubu, officially recognized “Nigeria We Hail Thee” as the nation’s national anthem.

After being enacted into law, the anthem was performed during a joint session of the National Assembly, marking the first time the anthem has been sung publicly.

The momentous occasion was met with a standing ovation from both houses of the assembly, as well as a sense of pride among the Nigerian people.