How can three people be promoted to a position that is not progressive and nobody else had an opportunity to apply for?

This company is Glabal and all over the Nation. Recently the VP of HR and Both Labor Lawyers Quit due to very bad decistions in the company and HR having no ability to do what is right. The company hired a new lawyer and made her VP of HR, but she clearly knows nothing about HR and is not a Labor Lawyer. Then the company promoted three people into brand newly created positions and made an announcement to the rest of the HR representatives in all locations. It was followed by an announce ment that a 4th position will be available for everyone else to apply to that will also be an "Assistant Director of Teammate Resources." Even though the three "favorite "HR representatives were promoted without anyone else's knowledge, it was told to everyone else that these position's are not "progressive" and would require application. If that is the case, how did these 3 people get placed into these positions, before the postiions were even announced? UNLAWFUL - and NEPOTISM !!!!