The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is a social-democratic political party in Ghana. It was founded by Jerry Rawlings, who was the Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1953 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001.

The symbol for the party is an umbrella with the head of a dove at the tip. The party colors are red, white, green, and black, and the party slogan or motto is “Unity, stability, and development.” Internationally, the NDC is a member of the Progressive Alliance and Socialist International.

Following the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), which ruled Ghana following the military coup d’état on 31 December 1981, there was pressure from the international community to restore democracy. The NDC was formed as the ruling party ahead of elections in 1992, in which Rawlings was elected president, and in 1996 Rawlings was re-elected as the NDC candidate. Rawlings’ second term ended in 2001.

Ghana had a period of single-party rule, beginning in 1981. In 1992, the National Democratic Congress led the successful transition to multi-party competition, an example of authoritarian-led democratization. The NDC won the 1992 and 1996 elections.

In 2000, Jerry Rawlings’ eight-year tenure came to an end, as per the Constitution of Ghana.  John Atta Mills became the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress at a special delegate congress held in Ho in the Volta Region of Ghana. He was popularly acclaimed the presidential candidate of the party for the 2000 presidential election. Unfortunately, he lost the 2000 election toNew Patriotic Party’s, John Agyekum Kufuor.

In the 2004 elections, the party’s manifesto called for “A Better Ghana”. John Atta Mills ran again for the NDC in the 2004 presidential elections with his running mate Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni. He won 44.6% of the vote but lost to the New Patriotic Party’s John Agyekum Kufuor. In the general elections held on 7 December 2004, the party won only 94 of the 230 seats.

John Evans Atta mills was chosen as the flagbearer of the party for the 2008 general elections. his running mate was John Mahama. On 3 January 2009, Mills was certified as the victor of the 28 December 2008 run-off election and became the president of Ghana.

On 24^th July 2012, President John Atta Mills died, after a short illness while still in office. Vice President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC was sworn in as president. The NDC picked John Dramani Mahama for their presidential candidate and sitting vice president Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur as their vice-presidential candidate for the 2012 elections.

On 9 December 2012, the Electoral Commission of Ghana declared NDC candidate John Dramani Mahama to be President-elect after a closely contested race in which he won 50.7% of votes cast.