Asuquo Ekpenyong

Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr was born into the family of Chief Dr. Asuquo Ekpenyong and Dr. Mrs. Iquo Ekpenyong, his dad is the chairman of the Davandy group and his mom was the pioneer registrar of the Cross River University of Technology. He did his secondary education at King's College, Lagos and further obtained a degree in Economics from the University of Reading in 2007 and a master’s degree in International Banking and Financial Services in 2008. He has qualifications from Harvard Business School.[3]

He hails from Asang village, Eniong Abatim in Odukpani local government area in Cross River State.

Asuquo Ekpenyong worked as a financial analyst at Davandy Finance and Securities Limited, Lagos, he then relocated to Cross River where he worked as a lecturer in the Banking and Finance Department of the University of Calabar where he worked for 2 years. He established Iquasu Ventures Limited, a haulage and logistics company, in 2010 and later took over as Managing Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensed Chamley Bureau de Change Limited. Asuquo was later appointed Executive Director for finance at Pearland Energy, an indigenous Oil and Gas company, and member of the board of directors at Ekondo Microfinance Bank Limited. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

In December 2015 Asuquo was appointed Cross River State Commissioner for finance by Governor Benedict Ayade at the age of 29, making him the youngest commissioner in Nigeria. He is the longest serving commissioner for Finance in Cross River State.[4]

In 2018 Asuquo was appointed commissioner for transport and marine services following the resignation of Mr. Savior Nyong to contest 2019 elections.[5]

Asuquo resigned as Commissioner for finance and Joined the race for governorship of Cross River State in the 2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election and was a leading aspirant until the emergence of Senator Bassey Otu as the consensus candidate of the All progressive congress (APC) in the state.[6]

In May 2022, Asuquo Ekpenyong emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primaries with 347 votes out of 351 accredited voters. He is currently running for Senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District.[7]

Asuquo Ekpenyong got married to Netanela Duke Ekpenyong, the second daughter of ex-governor Donald Duke in 2018, and they have two children together, Minika and Asuquo Jr.[8]