If you knew the fathers, you would know that nomination of candidates for the episcopal office by the laity was not uncommon, but that ordination of the selected candidate was always by a bishop, not by the laity (since laity were not themselves ordained, they could not give what they did not have).
-A8
that chapter also clarifies how the earliest Christians understood Paul's teaching of the requirements to be a bishop.
Well all I know is what the Didache says since I was directed to that for the authentic tradition of the early church and from what it says it is the church that appoints the deacons and bishops. It says nothing about ordinations by the bishops or other ordained persons. In fact it lists them as appointed like the deacons, teachers and prophets just as the bible says.