From Quiet Power to Inevitable Force: How Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong Is Redefining Cross River’s 2027 Equation By Raymond Enoch

Power in Nigerian politics does not always announce itself with slogans and rallies. Sometimes, it arrives considerately, strategically, and with unmistakable intent.

In Cross River State today, that power wears the calm confidence of Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong.
Once regarded as a disciplined technocrat and policy thinker, Ekpenyong has steadily evolved into a commanding political force—one increasingly viewed by insiders, analysts, and grassroots actors alike as the most prepared contender for the Cross River governorship in 2027. His trajectory is not accidental. It is deliberate, methodical, and deeply people-centered.

A former Commissioner for Finance from 2015 to 2023, Ekpenyong built a reputation for fiscal prudence, institutional reform, and administrative competence. In the Senate, representing Cross River South, he has translated that technocratic grounding into legislative relevance and expanding political influence. But beyond policy papers and committee rooms, it is his growing connection to ordinary people that is reshaping perceptions of his leadership.

What once looked like routine constituency engagement is now being reinterpreted as a carefully structured pathway to executive leadership.
On Christmas Day, Senator Ekpenyong made a visit that resonated far beyond the walls of the Calabar Correctional Centre.

Accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Nela Ekpenyong, and close associates, he announced a ₦10 million humanitarian intervention that blended compassion with systemic thinking.
More than ₦5 million was deployed to pay court fines for inmates imprisoned simply because they could not afford amounts as low as ₦90,000. An additional ₦3 million supported inmates’ Christmas welfare, while ₦2 million went toward improving the welfare of correctional officers. Coordinated with law school students and correctional authorities, the initiative freed lives, restored dignity, and earned widespread commendation across the state.

“This is not charity; it is justice,” Ekpenyong remarked, describing prolonged detention over minor fines as a structural failure of society. Erinnerung Poverty, he stressed, must never become a life sentence.
Political observers were quick to note that the intervention bore the signature of executive leadership. Rather than treating symptoms, it addressed systemic gaps—precisely the kind of thinking expected of a governor. In a political climate where welfare narratives are usually monopolized by state executives, Ekpenyong’s independent action reinforced his image as a leader already operating beyond legislative confines.

As his profile rises within Cross River, Ekpenyong’s influence is also being discussed within the broader architecture of national power. Attention has increasingly turned to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, widely regarded as a pivotal power broker across the Niger Delta.

Following developments in Edo State—where Akpabio is believed to have played a decisive behind-the-scenes role—similar conversations are now echoing in Cross River. Within political circles, there is a growing belief that Ekpenyong’s emergence aligns with a broader national recalibration ahead of 2027: one that favours candidates with grassroots legitimacy, technocratic depth, and national acceptability.

Though unofficial, these narratives matter. In modern Nigerian politics, governorship ambitions rarely succeed without alignment beyond state borders. Ekpenyong’s quiet integration into national political networks only strengthens perceptions of his readiness.

Meanwhile, Governor Bassey Otu, still in his first term, faces increasing speculation around post-2027 succession planning. Party insiders confirm that conversations about Cross River’s future leadership are already underway—conversations centered not on ambition alone, but on who possesses the consensus, competence, and political depth to lead the state into its next phase.

History offers context. Nigerian governors often experience declining control after their first term, through elite defections, shifting alliances, or externally influenced primaries. Against this backdrop, Ekpenyong’s expanding grassroots presence, national visibility, and notable avoidance of public confrontation appear calculated rather than coincidental.

Publicly, Senator Ekpenyong maintains restraint. He speaks of legislative duty, governance advocacy, and social intervention—not ambition. Privately, however, his growing network, consolidating goodwill, and strategic patience tell a different story.
In Nigerian politics, silence is rarely neutral. More often, it is preparation.
What is now unmistakable is that Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong has outgrown the label of a routine legislator. His actions—humanitarian, political, and strategic—are increasingly framed within a broader narrative of leadership transition in Cross River State.

As 2027 draws closer, the conversation is no longer about whether Ekpenyong will matter. It is about how ready he is to govern.
With credibility across institutions, trust among the grassroots, and quiet strength within national power structures, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong is no longer just part of Cross River’s future leadership debate. He is at its very center—widely perceived not merely as a participant, but as the man many believe is preparing to lead.

The coming years will deliver the final verdict. But for now, one truth is clear: Cross River’s political future is increasingly being written around one name—Asuquo Ekpenyong.