diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/ci-build.yml b/.azure-pipelines/ci-build.yml
index a3957826..8bf44d1b 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/ci-build.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/ci-build.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ extends:
             #TODO maybe missing template context with sdl baselines?
             steps:
               - checkout: self
-                persistCredentials: true
 
               - task: JavaToolInstaller@1
                 inputs:
@@ -68,26 +67,26 @@ extends:
 
               - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishToMavenLocal -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true -PmavenCentralSnapshotArtifactSuffix=""
                 displayName: Publish to local Maven for verification
-                # condition: contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v')
+                condition: contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v')
 
-              # - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishToMavenLocal -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true
-              #   displayName: Publish to local Maven for verification
-              #   condition: not(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'))
+              - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishToMavenLocal -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true
+                displayName: Publish to local Maven for verification
+                condition: not(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'))
 
               - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishMavenPublicationToADORepository -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true -PmavenCentralSnapshotArtifactSuffix=""
                 displayName: Publish to local Maven ADO for ESRP
-                # condition: contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v')
+                condition: contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v')
 
-              # - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishMavenPublicationToADORepository -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true
-              #   displayName: Publish to local Maven ADO for ESRP
-              #   condition: not(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'))
+              - script: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishMavenPublicationToADORepository -PmavenCentralPublishingEnabled=true
+                displayName: Publish to local Maven ADO for ESRP
+                condition: not(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'))
 
               - pwsh: |
                   $contents = Get-Content gradle.properties -Raw
-                  $major = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMajorVersion = ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-                  $minor = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMinorVersion = ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-                  $patch = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenPatchVersion = ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-                  # $snapshot_suffix = if ($Env:BRANCH_NAME.StartsWith('refs/tags/v')) { '' } else { '-SNAPSHOT' }
+                  $major = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMajorVersion\s*=\s*([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
+                  $minor = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMinorVersion\s*=\s*([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
+                  $patch = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenPatchVersion\s*=\s*([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
+                  $snapshot_suffix = if ($Env:BRANCH_NAME.StartsWith('refs/tags/v')) { '' } else { '-SNAPSHOT' }
                   $version = "$major.$minor.$patch$snapshot_suffix"
                   echo "Current version is $version"
                   echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=PACKAGE_VERSION;]$version"
@@ -101,21 +100,19 @@ extends:
                 displayName: Inspect contents of local Maven cache
 
               - pwsh: |
-                  .\scripts\zipPackageContent.ps1 -OutputDirectory $Env:OUTPUT_DIRECTORY -ArtifactId microsoft-graph-core -PackageSegment abstractions -Version $(PACKAGE_VERSION)
-                  echo "list of zips:"
-                  Get-ChildItem -Path $Env:OUTPUT_DIRECTORY -Filter "*.zip" | ForEach-Object { Write-Host $_.FullName }
-                displayName: Zip contents of local Maven cache
-                env:
-                  OUTPUT_DIRECTORY: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)
+                  $packageFullPath = Join-Path -Path "./" -ChildPath "build/publishing-repository/com/microsoft/graph/microsoft-graph-core" -AdditionalChildPath "$(PACKAGE_VERSION)"
+                  echo "Package full path: $packageFullPath"
+                  echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=PACKAGE_PATH;]$packageFullPath"
+                displayName: Get the package full path
               
               - task: 1ES.PublishPipelineArtifact@1
                 displayName: "Publish Artifact: jars"
                 inputs:
                   artifactName: jars
-                  targetPath: "$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)"
+                  targetPath: "$(PACKAGE_PATH)"
 
       - stage: deploy
-        # condition: and(or(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'), eq(variables['build.sourceBranch'], '${{ parameters.previewBranch }}')), succeeded())
+        condition: and(or(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'), eq(variables['build.sourceBranch'], '${{ parameters.previewBranch }}')), succeeded())
         dependsOn: build
         jobs:
           - deployment: deploy_github
@@ -137,7 +134,7 @@ extends:
                 deploy:
                   steps:
                     - pwsh: |
-                        $zips = Get-ChildItem -Path "$(Pipeline.Workspace)" -Filter "*.zip"
+                        $zips = Get-ChildItem -Path "$(Pipeline.Workspace)" -Filter "*.jar"
                         $zip = $zips | Select-Object -First 1
                         $zipName = $zip.Name
                         if ($zipName -match "\d+.\d+.\d+")
@@ -148,19 +145,10 @@ extends:
                         }
                         else
                         {
-                          Write-Error "No valid version found in zip file name."
+                          Write-Error "No valid version found in jar file name."
                           exit 1
                         }
 
-                    - pwsh: |
-                        $zips = Get-ChildItem -Path "$(Pipeline.Workspace)" -Filter "*.zip"
-                        foreach ($zip in $zips) {
-                            $targetPath = $zip.FullName.Replace(".zip", "")
-                            Expand-Archive -Path $zip.FullName -DestinationPath $targetPath
-                            Remove-Item -Path $zip.FullName -Force
-                        }
-                      displayName: Unzip artifacts
-                        
                     - task: GitHubRelease@1
                       inputs:
                         gitHubConnection: "microsoftkiota"
@@ -204,7 +192,7 @@ extends:
             
           - deployment: deploy_maven
             # snapshots are not supported by ESRP release for now, but they are planning to add support. When it happens, simply remove the condition
-            # condition: and(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'), succeeded())
+            condition: and(contains(variables['build.sourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'), succeeded())
             pool:
               name: Azure-Pipelines-1ESPT-ExDShared
               os: linux
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 71482093..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-publish.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,160 +0,0 @@
-name: Build and Publish
-
-# TODO remove todo entries in build.gradle
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-  push:
-    branches: [main]
-    paths-ignore:
-      - '.gradle/wrapper'
-      - '.gitignore'
-      - 'LICENSE'
-      - 'THIRD PARTY NOTICES'
-      - '*.md'
-    tags:
-      - "v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+"
-env:
-  PREVIEW_TASK: publishToSonatype
-  PUBLISH_TASK:  publishToSonatype closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository
-  JAVA_VERSION: 21
-  JAVA_DISTRIBUTION: 'temurin'
-
-permissions:
-  contents: write
-
-jobs:
-  maven_Preview:
-    if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
-    environment:
-      name: maven_central_snapshot
-    needs: validate-package-contents
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Detect secrets
-        run: |
-          pip install detect-secrets
-          git ls-files -z | xargs -0 detect-secrets-hook --baseline .secrets.baseline
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRIBUTION }}
-          cache: gradle
-      - name: Download file
-        run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-        shell: pwsh
-        env:
-          ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.LOCAL_PROPERTIES }}
-          OUTPUT_PATH: '.\local.properties'
-      - name: Download file
-        run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-        shell: pwsh
-        env:
-          ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.SECRING_GPG }}
-          OUTPUT_PATH: '.\secring.gpg'
-      - name: Grant execute permission for gradlew
-        run: chmod +x gradlew
-      - name: Publish
-        run: ./gradlew $PREVIEW_TASK
-
-  maven_Release:
-    if: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') && github.actor == 'release-please[bot]'}}
-    environment:
-      name: maven_central_release
-    needs: validate-package-contents
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Detect secrets
-        run: |
-          pip install detect-secrets
-          git ls-files -z | xargs -0 detect-secrets-hook --baseline .secrets.baseline
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRIBUTION }}
-          cache: gradle
-      - name: Download file
-        run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-        shell: pwsh
-        env:
-          ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.LOCAL_PROPERTIES }}
-          OUTPUT_PATH: '.\local.properties'
-      - name: Download file
-        run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-        shell: pwsh
-        env:
-          ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.SECRING_GPG }}
-          OUTPUT_PATH: '.\secring.gpg'
-      - name: Grant execute permission for gradlew
-        run: chmod +x gradlew
-      - name: Publish
-        run: ./gradlew $PUBLISH_TASK -PmavenCentralSnapshotArtifactSuffix=""
-      - name: Upload Build Artifact
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: drop
-          path: |
-            **/libs/*
-            build/generated-pom.xml
-            build/generated-pom.xml.asc
-            build.gradle
-            gradlew
-            gradlew.bat
-            settings.gradle
-            gradle.properties
-            **/gradle/**
-            Scripts/**
-      - name: Github Release
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
-        with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          fail_on_unmatched_files: true
-          files: |
-            build/**/*.jar
-
-  validate-package-contents:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    environment: ${{ contains(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v') && 'maven_central_release' || 'maven_central_snapshot' }}
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        working-directory: ./
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-    - name: Setup JDK
-      uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-      with:
-        java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-        distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRIBUTION}}
-        cache: gradle
-    - name: Download file
-      run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-      shell: pwsh
-      env:
-        ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.LOCAL_PROPERTIES }}
-        OUTPUT_PATH: 'local.properties'
-    - name: Download file
-      run: .\scripts\decodeAndWrite.ps1 -encodedValue $env:ENCODED_VALUE -outputPath $env:OUTPUT_PATH
-      shell: pwsh
-      env:
-        ENCODED_VALUE: ${{ secrets.SECRING_GPG }}
-        OUTPUT_PATH: '.\secring.gpg'
-    - name: Publish to local Maven cache for validation
-      run: ./gradlew --no-daemon publishToMavenLocal
-    - name: Get current SNAPSHOT version
-      shell: pwsh
-      run: |
-        $contents = Get-Content gradle.properties -Raw
-        $major = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMajorVersion\s+= ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-        $minor = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenMinorVersion\s+= ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-        $patch = $contents | Select-String -Pattern 'mavenPatchVersion\s+= ([0-9]+)' | ForEach-Object { $_.Matches.Groups[1].Value }
-        $version = "$major.$minor.$patch-SNAPSHOT"
-        echo "Current version is $version"
-        echo "PACKAGE_VERSION=$version" >> $Env:GITHUB_ENV
-    - name: Inspect contents of local Maven cache
-      shell: pwsh
-      run: |
-        .\scripts\validatePackageContents.ps1 -ArtifactId microsoft-graph-core -Version $env:PACKAGE_VERSION
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 23a85870..85cba928 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ plugins {
     id 'jacoco'
     id 'com.github.spotbugs' version '6.2.0'
     id "org.sonarqube" version "6.2.0.5505"
-    // TODO remove this dependency once we remove the GH WF
-    id 'io.github.gradle-nexus.publish-plugin' version '2.0.0'
 }
 
 java {
@@ -122,19 +120,6 @@ publishing {
         }
     }
 }
-// TODO remove this section once we remove the GH WF
-nexusPublishing {
-    repositories {
-        sonatype {
-            if (project.rootProject.file('local.properties').exists()) {
-                Properties properties = new Properties()
-                properties.load(project.rootProject.file('local.properties').newDataInputStream())
-                username = properties.getProperty('sonatypeUsername')
-                password = properties.getProperty('sonatypePassword')
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
 
 group = project.property('mavenGroupId')
 version = "${mavenMajorVersion}.${mavenMinorVersion}.${mavenPatchVersion}${mavenCentralSnapshotArtifactSuffix}"
diff --git a/scripts/zipPackageContent.ps1 b/scripts/zipPackageContent.ps1
deleted file mode 100644
index 02cc9b65..00000000
--- a/scripts/zipPackageContent.ps1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-# Checks that expected files are present & have contents after the publish process to the local cache
-param(
-  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string] $ArtifactId,
-  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string] $PackageSegment,
-  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string] $Version,
-  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][string] $OutputDirectory,
-  [Parameter()][string] $GroupId = "com.microsoft.graph",
-  [Parameter()][string] $ComponentsSegment = "..\components",
-  [Parameter()][string] $buildOutDir = "build\publishing-repository"
-)
-
-#components\bundle\build\publishing-repository\com\microsoft\kiota\microsoft-kiota-bundle\1.8.5\
-
-$groupIdPath = $GroupId -replace "\.", [System.IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar
-$packageFullPath = Join-Path -Path $PSScriptRoot -ChildPath $ComponentsSegment -AdditionalChildPath $PackageSegment, $buildOutDir, $groupIdPath, $ArtifactId, $Version
-
-Write-Output "---------------------------------------------------"
-Write-Output "Zipping package contents at $packageFullPath"
-
-if(-not (Test-Path -Path $packageFullPath)) {
-  Write-Output "Package not found in local cache."
-  exit 1
-}
-
-$outputFilePath = Join-Path -Path $OutputDirectory -ChildPath "$ArtifactId-$Version.zip"
-# removing any existing file
-Remove-Item -Path $outputFilePath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-# removing any xml files that are not expected in ESRP release
-Compress-Archive -Path "$packageFullPath\*" -DestinationPath $outputFilePath
-
-exit 0
\ No newline at end of file