By Our Correspondents Akure
In a move underscoring heightened inter-agency coordination ahead of critical electoral activities, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, hosted the newly appointed Controller of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) in the state, Mr. Moses Oyedepo, in what officials described as a strategic courtesy visit with security and electoral implications.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, received the Controller and his management team at the Commission’s headquarters in Alagbaka, Akure, setting the tone for renewed collaboration between two institutions central to election safety and operational resilience.
Speaking shortly after the meeting, Oyedepo said the visit marked his first formal engagement with INEC since assuming office, stressing that effective elections go beyond ballot papers to include fire prevention, emergency response and institutional preparedness.
He described the Federal Fire Service as a “critical but often unseen stakeholder” in the electoral process, noting that election periods are high-risk operational windows that demand seamless coordination among agencies.
“Our presence here is to strengthen synergy and extend a hand of fellowship,” Oyedepo said, assuring INEC of the Fire Service’s readiness to support electoral activities across the state.
Responding, Mrs. Babalola welcomed the new Controller and commended the Fire Service for its continued role in safeguarding electoral facilities and personnel.
She emphasized that the partnership between INEC and emergency agencies remains non-negotiable, particularly as voter registration and election-related activities intensify across Ondo State.
The INEC boss used the opportunity to draw attention to the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, revealing that registration has now been fully devolved to all Registration Areas (RAs) in the state.
According to her, the decentralisation is a deliberate strategy to eliminate long-distance travel to registration centres, overcome difficult terrain challenges and ensure no eligible voter is excluded from the process.
“This phase is about inclusion and access,” Babalola said, adding that INEC is determined to capture every eligible registrant, regardless of location.
The visit, observers say, signals a broader push by INEC to deepen stakeholder engagement, strengthen operational safety and consolidate public confidence as the Commission scales up grassroots electoral activities across Ondo State.
As preparations gather momentum, the meeting in Akure highlights a quiet but critical reality of elections: behind every ballot is a network of institutions working to keep the process secure, accessible and credible.
