Facts:

The appellant and the respondent entered into an agreement by which the respondent was to execute works in respect of fast wall partitioning and fixing of suspended ceiling on the first to fifth floors of the appellant’s structure. The contract included an arbitration clause whereby disputes between the parties touching upon the contract would be referred to arbitration if the parties are unable to reach an amicable settlement. It was also agreed that the respondent should commence work and complete same in about three months at a cost of N10,600,000 (ten million, six hundred thousand naira).

There was subsequently a variation to the scope of the original contract by the inclusion of purchase and installation of carpets which increased the contract sum to N11,236,700.00 (eleven million, two hundred and thirty six thousand, seven hundred naira). A firm of architects, Archiscope Limited, was appointed at the instance of the appellant to supervise the work in accordance with the provision of clause 8.4 of the contract. But a dispute subsequently arose between the parties and was referred for arbitration by the arbitral proceedings instituted by the claimant/applicant