Edo 2024 Gubernatorial Contest: The People Beckon On Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe To Heed Their Clarion Call.

With the presidential election done and dusted and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, sworn in and has hit the ground running, pretty soon, attention would shift to state gubernatorial contests with staggered electoral arrangements.

Interestingly, Edo State, fondly referred to as the Heartbeat Of The Nation, would take her turn towards the end of the third quarter of 2024. With a little over a year into the end of the life of the current administration in the state, political activities are already gearing up across the length and breath of the state.

Electioneering, anywhere in the world, is serious business. It requires time and careful planning. It is against this backdrop that any serious political actor, especially anyone who wishes to aspire to the high office of a governor, must hit the ground running albeit clandestinely, due to regulatory provisions

Be that as it may, today in Edo State, the probable aspirants gunning for the top job at Denis Osadebe Avenue, the seat of Government in the state, are already public knowledge. One person that is publicly on the lips of many as the best person to occupy the position of Edo state Chief Executive, is Retired Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe, PhD., who stands out as the most accomplished technocrat amongst the rest.

Curiously, despite his intimidating credentials and the overwhelming endorsement of this great General by the well meaning people of Edo state, both home and in the Diaspora, it beats everyone why this consummate intellectual is still reluctant to respond to the yearnings of Edo people, as they forsee a better and brighter Edo state under his tutelage given his impeccable pedigree.

With this colossus in the picture, the people of the state are being fondly reminded of one of the ever green songs of the veteran American entertainer and singer, Daina ross, ‘I am coming out…’

The clamour for the best gubernatorial candidate for Edo state in 2024, has seen the 3 senatorial Districts of the state and of course, those in the diaspora, in an open display of unity in asking the amiable Gen Cecil Esekhaigbe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the next election. The retired Army General has been told in most unequivocal terms that, he can no longer sit on the side line. Besides, it has been drummed loud to his hearing that, the decision to be on the ballot come next year, is no longer his own alone to make. Hence, the overwhelming clamour by critical stakeholders across the three senatorial zones.

Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe has the will and all that it takes to lead a state like Edo. According to George S. Patton Jr, it is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it.” He went further, “Live for something rather than die for nothing.” In addition, he said, “The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers…
Given this, a Chieftain of APC in a chat with our correspondence, with a condition of anonymity, said, ‘Edo State has a soldier in General Cecil Esekhaigbe, a refine technocrat, who has what it takes to advance the course of Edo state of our dreams…’

As we look ahead towards 2024, this is the man who holds the dreams and aspirations of about 4 million Edolites. Major Gen Cecil Esekhaigbe RTD, is a distinguished military officer, a diplomat, a scholar, and a high chief in Esanland. He attended all the compulsory and key military courses locally and internationally. The Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna, Junior Staff College Jaji- Kaduna, Senior Staff Course at the Command and General Staff College South Korea. Others include the prestigious National Defence College Abuja.

Cecil attended the prestigious Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua, for his secondary education. He attended the Lagos State University, where he bagged BSc Political Science and the University of Lagos with a distinction in Masters In International Law and Diplomacy. He proceeded to Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma with a Doctorate Degree in Strategic Studies in 2010. A pioneer graduate of the African Centre for Strategic Studies affiliated to US National Defence University .

Gen Cecil Esekhaigbe held all the appointments commensurate to various ranks in the military, including the first Registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy of Southern Nigeria extraction. He was a Directing Staff at the National Defence College Abuja, Director plans at the Nigerian Army Headquarters , Principal General Staff Staff Officer to the Minister of Defence and the Defence Adviser at the Nigerian High Commission, London- United Kingdom. He is presently a security consultant and a political strategist . Gen. Esekhaigbe is happily married to Angela Esekhaigbe, and they are blessed with children.

His hobbies are reading, sports, and social fellowship.