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Pentagon inks deals with Nvidia, Microsoft and AWS to deploy AI on classified networks

Published

2 months ago

May 1, 2026

Preport

After landing agreements with Google, SpaceX, and OpenAI, the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday that it has signed deals with Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Reflection AI that allow it to deploy their AI tech and models on its classified networks for “lawful operational use.”

“These agreements accelerate the transformation toward establishing the United States military as an AI-first fighting force and will strengthen our warfighters’ ability to maintain decision superiority across all domains of warfare,” the statement reads.

The deals come as the U.S. Department of Defense has accelerated its diversification of AI vendors in the wake of its controversial dispute with Anthropic over usage terms of its AI models. The Pentagon wanted unrestricted use of Anthropic’s AI tools, but the AI lab insisted on guardrails to prevent Anthropic’s tech from being used for domestic mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.

The two are fighting it out in court at the moment, though Anthropic in March won an injunction against the Pentagon’s move to brand the company a “supply chain risk.”

“The Department will continue to build an architecture that prevents AI vendor lock-in and ensures long-term flexibility for the Joint Force,” the statement reads. “Access to a diverse suite of AI capabilities from across the resilient American technology stack will give warfighters the tools they need to act with confidence and safeguard the nation against any threat.”

The DoD said the companies’ AI hardware and models will be deployed on Impact Level 6 (IL6) and Impact Level 7 (IL7) environments to “streamline data synthesis, elevate situational understanding, and augment warfighter decision-making.” IL6 and IL7 are high-level security classifications for data and information systems that are deemed critical to national security, and require that these systems be protected physically, through strict access controls and audits.

The Pentagon said more than 1.3 million DoD personnel have so far used its secure enterprise platform for generative AI, GenAI.mil, which provides access to large language models (LLMs) and other AI tools within government-approved cloud environments. It is designed to help primarily with non-classified tasks like research, document drafting, and data analysis.

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APC Election Officials Break Silence on Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Primary Dispute

Published

1 hour ago

July 8, 2026

Preport

Controversy surrounding the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency has taken a new turn, with officials who conducted the exercise alleging attempts by some aggrieved aspirants to undermine the credibility of the election.

The allegations were made on Tuesday during a press briefing in Jos by members of the Forum of Ward Presiding Officers, Local Government Collation Officers and Constituency Collation/Returning Officers.

Speaking on behalf of the forum, its Chairman, Chinwatda Tapar, claimed that some aspirants approached election officials after the May 16, 2026 primary and urged them to sign affidavits containing accounts that contradicted what transpired during the exercise.

According to Tapar, some officials were allegedly offered financial inducements, while others faced intimidation and sustained pressure in a bid to secure their cooperation.

“Our duty was to conduct a free, fair and credible election, not to become instruments in any post-election effort aimed at distorting the truth,” he said.

Tapar explained that the election officials were appointed by the APC National Secretariat through the committee constituted to conduct the party’s 2026 National Assembly primary elections in Plateau State, headed by Hon. Stella Okotete.

He stated that the committee deployed them to oversee the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency primary, which, according to him, was conducted peacefully, transparently and in compliance with the APC constitution and electoral guidelines.

He maintained that the election produced a winner who was duly declared and returned after the collation of results.

The forum further disclosed that it had retained information relating to the alleged approaches made by the aggrieved aspirants and would present the evidence to law enforcement agencies, the APC leadership or any court of competent jurisdiction if required.

The officials urged party members and stakeholders to channel any grievances arising from the primary election through lawful and democratic processes rather than attempting to influence election officials.

“Our responsibility as Ward Presiding Officers, Local Government Collation Officers and Constituency Collation/Returning Officers ended with the successful conduct of the primary election and the declaration of its outcome,” Tapar added.

The forum reaffirmed its commitment to truth, fairness, due process and the democratic principles of the APC, insisting that it would not participate in any effort to compromise the integrity of the primary election or distort the facts surrounding its conduct.

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2027: Oyo ex-Deputy governor, Arapaja dumps Makinde, meets APC chieftains

Published

2 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Preport

Reports reaching DAILY POST from the camp of a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, indicate that Arapaja has perfected plans to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It was gathered that the planned defection is coming a few hours after the former lawmaker met President Bola Tinubu.

Arapaja met Tinubu in Abuja two days ago, after which he also met some chieftains of APC from Oyo State at his residence in Abuja on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the gubernatorial candidate of APC in the state, Barrister Sharafadeen Alli, deputy gubernatorial candidate, Mr Adesoji Adedeji and Oyo South Senatorial candidate of the party, Hon Aderemi Oseni, Arapaja’s loyalists and supporters; and other notable personalities from the State.

Sources at the meeting disclosed it centred on the planned defection of Arapaja to APC.

Both Makinde and Arapaja belong to the same faction of PDP until recent moves by Arapaja to join APC.

Arapaja has been a close ally of Makinde since the inception of his administration in 2019.

He had earlier served as National Vice Chairman (South West) and later served as Deputy National Chairman (South) for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He also serves as National Secretary of a PDP faction loyal to Makinde.

Arapaja, who hails from Idi Arere in Ibadan, has been in active politics since the inception of this current fourth republic in 1999.

He served as Chairman of Ibadan South East Local Government Area between 1999 and 2002.

Arapaja represented Ibadan North East/ Ibadan South East federal constituency on the platform of PDP between 2003 and 2007 and later served as Deputy Governor when the late Adebayo Alao-Akala was the Governor between 2007 and 2011.