[3] The town was recognized by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the former Maguindanao province as the new (de jure) provincial capital in 2014,[5] a move seen as the solution to the decades-old issue of Maguindanao's lack of a permanent provincial capitol due to local clan politics.

[13] Its area was further divided on December 30, 2006, when two more municipalities were created out of its territory namely: Mangudadatu and Pandag, losing 8 barangays (south and north, respectively) to each of the two new towns.

[5] Pending the completion of the new capitol complex, the provincial governor Esmael Mangudadatu (a Buluan native) will continue to hold office in the town's Rajah Buayan Silongan Peace Center — originally designated as a mere satellite office of the provincial government when Mangudadatu took office in 2010,[15] but since the official designation of Buluan as provincial capital in 2014 has served as the provisional capitol building.

However, the legislative branch of provincial government, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Maguindanao, continues to hold sessions in the refurbished buildings of the old provincial capitol in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, by virtue of Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No.

[16] The old provincial capitol complex, built next to the previous governor's properties in Shariff Aguak, was converted for public use.