KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's top electoral official says the announcement of the results of the presidential election has been postponed.

Corneille Nangaa told The Associated Press that the results of the Dec. 30 election will not be made public Sunday as expected. He said the official electoral commission will confirm the delay later Sunday.

The postponement in announcing the results is expected to increase tensions in Congo.

The Catholic Church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, said that data reported by its 40,000 election observers deployed in polling stations show a clear winner. The church urged the electoral commission to announce accurate results.

The government has already cut internet access across the vast Central African country to prevent any speculation on social media about who might have won the election.