Fred Itua writes that steps taken by Governor Monday Okpebholo to attract federal presence to Edo State have started yielding fruitful results with the recent flag off of two major road infrastructure projects vis the dualization of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Ajaokuta Road and the reconstruction of the 125 kilometre Benin-Asaba Highway.
In a federal system of government, such as Nigeria’s, subnational governments enjoy a level of autonomy that allows them to pursue development aggressively within their jurisdiction. However, this autonomy does not render federal collaboration irrelevant.
On the contrary, history has shown that states that adopt a confrontational stance toward the central government often suffer developmental setbacks, particularly in areas where federal intervention is crucial.