Politics
Claudia Sheinbaum Makes History As Mexico’s First Woman President
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
A former senator representing Sokoto East Senatorial District, Abubakar Umar Gada, has assured members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the party remains strong and united in Sokoto State despite recent defections by some political figures.
Gada gave the assurance in a statement issued on Thursday in Sokoto, where he urged party loyalists to remain calm, focused and committed to the ideals of the PDP.
According to him, political defections are not unusual in Nigeria’s democratic landscape and should not be seen as a threat to the stability and strength of the party in the state.
SEE MORE: PDP’s Festering Crisis Chases Tambuwal to ADC
The former lawmaker stressed that the PDP still enjoys a strong grassroots presence in Sokoto, noting that the party’s structure across the state remains intact and capable of delivering electoral victories.
He explained that the strength of the PDP lies in the loyalty and dedication of its members, leaders and supporters who have remained committed to the party through various political challenges.
Gada also pointed out that politics allows individuals the freedom to make personal decisions, but maintained that the PDP as an institution remains resilient and firmly rooted in the aspirations of the people of Sokoto State and Nigeria.
He further disclosed that the party’s national leadership has already initiated measures aimed at strengthening internal unity and consolidating party structures across the country.
According to him, consultations and reconciliation efforts are currently ongoing among key stakeholders to address emerging concerns and reinforce unity within the party.
Gada noted that such engagements are designed to ensure the PDP moves forward with renewed focus, stronger unity and a clear commitment to democratic values.
He recalled that the party has successfully navigated several political challenges in the past and has consistently emerged stronger.
The former senator therefore urged PDP members in Sokoto State to remain steadfast and avoid actions capable of creating divisions within the party.
He also called on supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation and strengthen party structures across all levels as the party prepares for future political contests.
The lingering intra-party crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has forced senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal to dump the party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, disclosed this in a resignation letter dated March 11, 2026, addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Tambuwal/Shinfiri Ward of Tambuwal Local Government Area.
The letter, which was made available to journalists on Thursday, said the decision followed consultations with his political associates and supporters.
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“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my political associates and supporters, I have decided to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect,” Tambuwal stated.
According to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, lingering disputes and leadership disagreements in the PDP made it increasingly difficult for him to remain in the party.
“The persistent internal crises, leadership disagreements and growing divisions within the party have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue my membership,” he added.
Despite leaving the party, the senator expressed appreciation to the PDP for the opportunities it gave him to serve in different capacities.
“I remain grateful to the party for the platform it provided me to serve Nigeria as Speaker of the House of Representatives and later as Governor of Sokoto State,” he said.
Tambuwal confirmed that he had joined the ADC alongside his political associates and supporters, describing the move as part of efforts to strengthen democratic values and provide a credible political alternative.
“My decision is guided by the conviction that Nigeria requires a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness and a clear commitment to national development,” he added.
Tambuwal served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015 before emerging governor of Sokoto State in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He later defected to the PDP the same year and was re-elected governor in 2019.
After completing his second term in 2023, he was elected to the Nigerian Senate to represent Sokoto South.
His defection to the ADC is expected to alter the political dynamics in Sokoto State, where he remains one of the state’s most influential political figures.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
SEE ALSO: JUST IN: PDP Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Ban on Ibadan Convention
According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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