Maurice Iwu, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed that the federal government is yet to show interest in his COVID-19 cure.

This comes after President Muhammadu Buhari asked Magadascar to send their own herbal potion used to cure coronavirus. Iwu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Bioresources Development Group, said government should show interested in the drug.

Speaking at a conference in Lagos via Zoom with the title: “Covid-19 and the proposed Vaccination Bill: Implications for Nigeria,” Iwu said funds raised from private sector could be deployed in ensuring locally produced antidotes for COVID-19.

The former INEC boss urged the National Assembly to call for public hearing on the issue.

According to Iwu, lawmakers should direct concerned agencies to validate the drug.

He said: ”Government needs to show interest in our drug, the money raised by private sectors can be deployed, it does not need to come to Prof. Iwu, it is information, the product is ours, but the information is already outside.

“There must be interest on the part of government that they want to test the drug, once the government shows interest, every other thing will fall in place.”

Iwu had led a group of researchers that discovered a possible plant-based patented treatment for COVID-19.

The drug was recently presented to the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday directed that the Madagascar’s COVID-19 cure, which was sent to Nigeria be picked up.