 The NDP was founded in the wake of the death of President John Atta Mills in July 2012.Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings had been a 2011 rival of Atta Mills prior to his re-nomination as the NDC candidate for president.The NDP announced its formation as part of the opposition to the NDC's candidate, President John Dramani Mahama, for the 7 December 2012 presidential election.