AFC Leopards chairman Boniface Ambani has explained why he was the only delegate to vote against the expulsion of FKF vice president McDonald Mariga and six other officials during Saturday's Special General Meeting (SGM) in Meru.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsAmbani, who was part of the delegates at the meeting held at a Meru hotel on Saturday, 7 November, maintained that football should accommodate opposing opinions, and noted disagreements should not come at the expense of the game's development.The former Harambee Stars striker was the lone voice against Mariga's removal, with 65 delegates voting in favour of the motion to expel the former Inter Milan midfielder from the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) National Executive Committee (NEC).##NAJAVA_MECA_10101473##Explaining his position, the Ingwe chairman insisted that football administrators must learn to put their differences aside and find common ground rather than allow disagreements to plunge the game into endless disputes."I voted no because I believe football is about agreeing to disagree. We can have different opinions, but we must put our differences aside and think about the game. That should always come first," he maintained.The former Yanga forward also expressed concern that the ongoing power wrangles within FKF had pushed the most important stakeholder in football, the player, to the margins.Mara Sugar sweeten decent league start by handing Migori Youth maiden defeat"Nobody is thinking about the player. If all these people involved in the wrangles could start putting players at the centre of their decisions, I don't think we would be having these endless disputes," he argued.With Kenyan football administrators repeatedly expressing ambitions of making the local league the best in Africa, Ambani questioned how such aspirations could be achieved amid persistent leadership battles."We cannot keep talking about making our league the best in Africa while having wrangles every other day. When you look at some of the issues causing these disagreements, they are things people can simply sit down and resolve.Mariga, six others ousted at chaotic FKF SGM in MeruWhy can't the branches and the NEC members sit around a table, agree on the way forward and move together? That is what Kenyan football needs," he lamented.He further pointed to the recently concluded African Nations Championship (CHAN) and preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as key sources of the disagreement between the rival camps.He suggested that frustrations over involvement in the CHAN project, coupled with concerns about participation in the AFCON preparations, had contributed significantly to the divisions within the federation.##NAJAVA_MECA_10101471##"The bone of contention here is CHAN and AFCON, and I won't mince my words about it. These issues need to be sorted out, and everyone needs to stop the nonsense.Some people feel they were left out during CHAN, and now they believe they are about to be left out again when it comes to AFCON. That is a major factor behind what we are witnessing," he concluded.West Pokot FKF chairman and SGM convenor Kibet Kaino presented the charges against the seven officials, citing alleged repeated violations of the FKF Constitution.AFC Leopards miss chance to apply pressure on Gor Mahia after draw against 3K FCAmong the accusations were taking the federation to court, claiming to have suspended FKF president Hussein Mohammed and engaging in what was described as unauthorised communication with third parties.Mariga, Nairobi representative Dan Shikanda, Coast representative Gabriel Mghendi and Central representative Robert Macharia each received 65 votes in favour of their expulsion, with only Ambani voting against the motions.##NAJAVA_MECA_10101472##Women's representative Violet Kerubo, Nyanza representative Collins Kalee and Rift Valley representative Bernard Lagat each received 64 votes in favour of their removal, with two delegates opposing the motions.The Congress resolved that the expulsions would take immediate effect.