MUSKOGEE, Okla. —  According to five of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s principal chief candidates, the tribe’s next leader will make education and economic development a priority.

Seven men are running to replace current principal chief A.D. Ellis, who is not seeking re-election due to term limits. Unless one candidate receives at least 51 percent of the vote in Saturday’s primary election, the top two finishers will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.

Five participated in one last forum Thursday night. The principal chief candidates, along with the 11 deputy chief candidates and 31 candidates for eight open National Council seats, had been in forums across the tribe’s 11-county jurisdiction throughout August and early September.

The seven candidates are Sam Alexander of Broken Arrow, Okla., Wilson Bear of Checotah, Okla., Alfred Berryhill of Okmulgee, Okla., Mike Flud of Okmulgee, Okla., Jason Nichols of Jenks, Okla., Bert Robison of Okemah, Okla., and George Tiger of Bristow, Okla.

During the one-hour debate, moderated by Muskogee Phoenix reporter D.E. Smoot, the candidates were quizzed on topics ranging from education to economic development to preserving the Creek culture and language.

All five agreed that the tribe needs to make education funding a priority.

“Education has to be the backbone of our tribe,” Robison said. “There’s no reason we can’t pay for students to pursue degrees in medicine, nursing, radiology, then have them come back and work for us for a certain number of years.”

“I don’t see why we can’t start our own prep school,” Berryhill said. “Look at what the Cherokee Nation has done with Sequoyah. Why shouldn’t we do that at Eufaula or Okmulgee?”

Along with education, the candidates also agreed that the next principal chief needs to make a concerted effort to bridge the gap among the three branches of Creek government.

Under the Ellis administration, the office of the principal chief and the National Council have squared off in tribal and federal district court several times.

“We’re always going to have differences,” Nichols said of the National Council and the executive branch. “However, we’ve got to be able to work through them and put them aside for the best interests of the tribe. We’re here for the future generations of our people.”

All five candidates in attendance urged voters to go to the polls Saturday.

“Regardless of who you vote for Saturday, just get out and vote,” Robison said. “I hope it’s for me, but if not, that’s OK too.

“If I’m not the new chief, I will walk over to the winner, shake his hand and offer to help however I can.”

Tiger and Alexander were not at the forum due to a National Council committee meeting in Okmulgee, Okla.

Sponsored by the Muskogee Phoenix, the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce and Bacone College, questions came from the approximately 50 people in attendance.