The governor may attend, in person or by his duly authorized agent, all sales of real estate made by any sheriff under any distress warrant issued by the state director of revenue, or sales made pursuant to executions issued on any judgment, wherein the state of Missouri is a party litigant or is in any wise interested, and buy in the property, if he considers it necessary and expedient, in the name of the state, for its use and benefit, and take proper deed therefor. In such cases, he may credit the sheriff or other officer making the sale with the amount of the bid made on the distress warrant or execution.