Exhibit 99.3

                        CERTIFICATION OF PERIODIC REPORT

I, James H. Blanchard, Chief Executive Officer of Synovus Financial Corp.
(the "Company"), certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1)      the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended
         December 31, 2002 (the "Report") fully complies with the requirements
         of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)      the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Company.



Dated: March 20, 2003                      /s/James H. Blanchard
                                           -----------------------------------
                                              James H. Blanchard
                                              Chief Executive Officer