By Christian Ita
At 41, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong has already built a public service career that cuts across financial management, state administration, legislative representation and regional development.
His journey, however, is not defined only by the offices he has occupied, but by the relationships he has built and the lives he has touched.
He entered public service with a professional background in economics, banking and finance.
That experience became particularly relevant when he was appointed Commissioner for Finance in Cross River State in 2015, at the age of 29.
For almost eight years, he remained at the centre of the state’s financial administration. His tenure exposed him to the complexities of public finance, budgeting, fiscal management, resource mobilisation and the broader demands of running government.
That experience would later prove valuable when he moved to the National Assembly.
As Senator representing Cross River South since 2023, Suki as he is fondly called, has brought the experience of a former finance commissioner to the legislative process, combining lawmaking with oversight, constituency advocacy and intervention.
But beyond his legislative responsibilities, one of the most significant features of his current political role is his relationship with the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu.
In a political environment where disagreements between elected officials can sometimes become distractions from governance, the relationship between Governor Otu and Ekpenyong has provided a different narrative.
Their relationship has been characterised by mutual respect, trust and cooperation, with the Senator maintaining what many see as a father-and-son relationship with the Governor.
For Ekpenyong also affectionately called Satndard, loyalty to the Governor appears to be anchored less on personal politics and more on the larger interest of Cross River State.
His legislative record has also been an important part of his first term in the Senate. He has sponsored bills and contributed to motions and debates dealing with economic, social and regional development issues.
Among his early legislative initiatives was the South-South Development Commission Bill, an issue with wider regional significance.
He has also been associated with legislative efforts covering youth service, support for victims of gunshots, MSME financing, suicide prevention and Nigerian content development.
His interventions demonstrate an attempt to connect legislation with practical challenges facing Nigerians, particularly young people, businesses and communities in the South-South.
Representation, however, goes beyond bills and motions.
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission, Ekpenyong has assumed a responsibility that gives him an important role in monitoring development interventions across the Niger Delta.
For Cross River, the significance of Suki’s position on the NDDC Committee extends beyond committee meetings in Abuja.
It provides another institutional platform through which the state’s development needs can and are receiving attention at the federal level.
His constituency interventions have also focused on education and economic empowerment.
His educational support programmes have assisted students from Cross River South in particular and the state as a whole, while empowerment initiatives have provided grants, business support, transportation assets and skills-development opportunities to constituents.
In 2026, more than 1,000 students were reported to have benefited from one of his educational interventions, with many of them on overseas scholarships.
By supporting small businesses, skills acquisition and productive ventures, the objective is to help constituents move from dependence to economic participation.
This is where the meaning of representation becomes broader. A legislator’s responsibility is not simply to speak during plenary sessions but to understand the needs of the people, raise those concerns within government and work towards interventions capable of improving
His journey is still unfolding, but the foundation is already substantial-almost eight years as Commissioner for Finance, three years and counting as a Senator, legislative interventions, oversight responsibilities, regional advocacy, educational support and constituency empowerment.
At 41, Ekpenyong is therefore not merely celebrating a milestone in age. He is marking a decade-plus journey in public service that has taken him from financial management in Cross River to the centre of national politics.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong’s story is ultimately one of a young politician whose career has been shaped by experience, loyalty and responsibility.
Happy Birthday Distinguished Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong jnr!
Christian Ita writes from Abuja.
