Nigeria, Oct. 13 -- Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has just left the stage as the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after a 10-year reign. Like most chairmen of this all-important commission, Yakubu's tenure was dogged by controversies. But no other was like him in terms of longevity. He was, like no other, in the saddle for 10 uninterrupted years. As he leaves office, what Yakubu has to face now is the verdict of history. How did he fare?

The man came into office with a reasonable level of gusto. He began the journey by trying his hands on technological innovations. His immediate predecessor, Attahiru Jega, will infamously be remembered for the mess the commission under him made of the card reader machine. The intro...