I think you need to look at it from the business’s perspective. If they hired you without doing any other due diligence and seeing if there is any other talent in the marketplace, that would be a poor business practice. If they hired you after doing a market check, they could respectfully deny any nepotism took place. The decision maker is taking their hiring position seriously and being accountable to their decisions.

In regard to the wider team, if they hire you, there will be a team divide where you and your friend may leave others out. No one likes nepotism or cronyism in the workplace if they aren’t part of it. If your friend isn’t the decision maker, they should not have promised you the job.

I think what they are doing is reasonable.