That’s a very attainable goal. Before you tear things apart too far I’d suggest disconnecting the throttle cable at both ends, then trying the
pedestal lever without cable connected, the throttle arm on the
engine, and pushing/pulling the cable directly.
That should allow you to figure out where in the linkage the stiffness is happening.
At the pedestal could be a build up of greasy dirt (or dirty grease), or some
corrosion on the bearing surfaces (those are the two most likely in my experience). If it’s in the cable I’d guess replacement, although there are a few conditions where maintenance/repair might help. The
engine throttle arm depends on the exact engine.